The Rivoli Bar is the art deco cocktail bar inside The Ritz London on Piccadilly, an intimate room of gold leaf, Lalique glass and a 14-cocktail menu.
The room is the headline. The Ritz describes gilded interiors, scalloped gold-leaf domes in the ceiling and Lalique glass panels set into glossy camphor-wood walls.
The design carries a name. The Nudge credits designer Tessa Kennedy for the opulent art deco look, with leather-lined seating and marble tabletops.
Art hangs on the walls. The bar holds an original Tamara de Lempicka painting, per The Ritz, tying the space to the era it evokes.
The floor is a feature. A red and green marble chequerboard inspired by William Kent runs beneath restored vaulted ceilings with hand-painted gold motifs, per The Ritz.
The menu changes with a theme. In January 2025 the bar launched Biodynamic Forces, a 14-cocktail list inspired by biodynamic farming and the planets, per The Ritz and Luxuriate Life.
Cocktails are the focus. The Story Mag notes a menu of refined, carefully built drinks served with the formality of a grand hotel bar.
It sits within The Ritz. Guests reach the bar through the hotel on Piccadilly, a short walk from Green Park station.
A dress code applies. As a Ritz room, smart dress is expected, in keeping with the hotel's afternoon-tea formality.
Service sets the pace. The Ritz frames the bar as a refined escape with table service and a measured rhythm rather than a loud crowd.
Prices sit at the top. As a five-star hotel cocktail bar in Mayfair, drinks land at the high end of the London range, which the setting reflects.
Who would love it: drinkers marking an occasion who want a grand, design-led room. Who should skip it: anyone after a casual, low-cost round or a late party.
It rewards a special evening. The room suits a celebration or a pre-dinner drink more than an everyday stop.
Booking is advised. The small space fills, so The Ritz recommends reserving, especially at weekends and around afternoon tea.
The menu tells a story. The biodynamic theme links each drink to a plant or planet, which gives the list an educational thread, per Luxuriate Life.
It holds a place in London history. Alongside the Connaught Bar and the American Bar at the Savoy, the Rivoli Bar ranks among the city's grand hotel bars.
Timing shapes the visit. Quietest in the early evening, the bar leans into a calm, conversational mood rather than a busy late night.
The detail rewards a look. From the beaten copper reliefs to the decorative mirrors, the room is built to be studied as much as enjoyed over a drink.
It draws a mixed crowd. Hotel guests, celebrating couples and cocktail enthusiasts share the room, drawn by the menu and the art deco setting.
The bar predates the modern scene. As a fixture of The Ritz, it carries a heritage few London cocktail rooms can match.
The lighting sets the mood. Soft, warm light off the gold leaf and mirrors gives the small room a glow that suits an evening drink.
Classics share the list. Beyond the themed menu, the bar pours the established cocktails expected of a grand hotel, made to a high standard.
It pairs with afternoon tea. Many guests fold a drink at the Rivoli Bar into a wider visit to The Ritz, before or after tea or dinner.
Seating is limited. The intimate scale means tables are prized, which is why the bar leans on reservations through the week.
It suits a quiet conversation. With a calm pace and table service, the room is built for talking over a drink rather than a loud night out.
The Rivoli Bar earns a place on our best cocktail bars in London guide, and the wider London guide maps Mayfair and Piccadilly.
