Best After Work Bars in London

The flagship of the Balls Brothers estate, Minster Court has been the City's pre-eminent after-work destination for decades. The champagne list runs longer than most restaurants, the bar fills by 5:30pm on any Friday, and the staff operate at a pace that keeps up with demand.

Beneath the Gresham Street offices, The Anthologist converts from business lunch to post-work bar with impressive smoothness. Two floors, a strong cocktail list, and enough space to accommodate the City's entire Thursday output. Goes from quiet to packed within 20 minutes of 5pm.

The bar programme at Hawksmoor's Covent Garden site competes directly with its food. The cocktail list is exceptional, the staff knowledgeable, and the room turns from lunch to after-work without a noticeable shift in quality. One of London's finest.

Inside The Ritz, the Rivoli Bar operates from 11:30am and makes an extraordinary after-work destination for those wanting to start the evening on a high note. Art Deco interiors, Champagne by the glass, and a standard of service found nowhere else in London.

A modern wine bar on Poland Street with a natural wine list that runs to 40 bottles and a crowd that includes every Soho media and creative worker who has discovered it. Get there before 7pm to secure a table.

Above the Soho streets, this Victorian-themed gin bar stocks over 250 gins and staffs itself with genuine enthusiasts. An ideal after-work destination for groups who want something more interesting than a pub, and more manageable than a dinner reservation.

The riverside terrace at The Refinery is among the best outdoor after-work spaces in London during summer months. The interior is warm and well-designed for winter. A versatile venue that handles everything from solo drinks to groups of fifteen.

A historic Shoreditch bar that still produces some of the most technically accomplished cocktails in London. The Victorian apothecary aesthetic has aged gracefully, and the cocktail list rewards returning visits. A strong choice for smaller groups.

The private hotel bar at The Goring is one of London's secrets for good reason: only hotel guests and their guests typically find it. The after-work crowd here is quiet, well-dressed, and genuinely pleased with themselves for knowing about it.

A natural wine bar that helped define the genre in London when it opened. The wine list remains excellent, the food on the bar menu is good enough to replace dinner, and the after-work crowd is notably pleasant. One of our consistent recommendations.

Hedonism Wines' bar and restaurant on Piccadilly operates on a different level to most after-work venues. The wine list is extraordinary, the food is serious, and the room is among the most beautiful in London. A destination for marking something.

A Victorian pub that has evolved gracefully over 15 years in one of London's most demanding neighbourhoods. The ground floor is always packed by 6pm; the upstairs dining room takes reservations. Good beer, good wine, and reliably good evenings.