Best speakeasy bars in London

...Once inside you'll find a garish, funky interior (apparently everything was bought from a car boot sale) and one hell of a party. With more than 40 cocktails created by the mysterious 'Uncle Bart', you won't have any difficulty in wetting your whistle. Speak easy, drink hard and remember: lose morals require tight lips. barts-london.com

Marylebone’s Purl doesn’t just offer a budding cocktail menu. The bar invites guests to embark on a multi-sensory experience using aromas, foams and fogs. Self-titled ‘purveyors of fine beverages’, the talented bar staff at Purl more than live up to the label, enabling you to savour every sip of your drink...

...Set in a vaulted basement with a glowing collection of vintage knick-knacks, the bar offers a retreat from the busy London streets and a throwback to the golden age of cocktails. All drinks are served with accompanying toppings, from dry ice and ice cream to cinnamon sticks and macaroons. purl-london.com

Chelsea’s beloved Italian restaurant Goat hides a little secret. Locked by an ever-changing passcode, The Chelsea Prayer Room is strictly for those who are serious about cocktails and very much in-the-know With room for just forty-five people, the bar oozes the intimacy of a members’ club, with a soundtrack of old-school jazz lulling in the background...

...Decked out with Chesterfield chairs, vintage shakers and old-school cocktail books, the bar tips a nod to English landscape painter George Moorland, who enjoyed many beers at the premises in his time. All the bottles behind the bar are unbranded, adding to the timelessness of the experience. goatchelsea.com

All good speakeasies recognise the power of heritage. Discount Suit Company homages to its original holdings as a clothiers, but if you stroll past the sign in the shop window you won’t be fitted for any tuxedos. Instead enjoy bar’s polished décor, specialist cocktail menu and strict table-service-only policy - no pushing for position here...

...Take your pick of the ebullient cocktails, including Bayou Queen (a mix of vodka and sparkling wine) and 12 Cents (a blend of whiskey and botanical spirits). discountsuitcompany.co.uk

The Worship Street Whistling Shop is an alluring concoction. The cellar bar fuses traditional speakeasy elements with dashes of Victorian London for an experience that is utterly unique. Not afraid of experimenting, the cocktail menu is modelled as a mystical Orrery map, categorising drinks into the four elements: earth, wind, fire, and water...

...The mixologists can help guide you through the drink selection, from the bold and rich Fire of Epidon (malt whisky, ginger beer and honey), to the calming Imperial Feathery Fizz (a classic gin and citrus blend). whistlingshop.com

Combining the elusive glamour of speakeasies with the iconic stylings of Sherlock Holmes, Evans & Peel is an agency you want to be on the books of. Once you’ve managed to locate the secret entrance on Earls Court Road, you must enter an unassuming office used by ‘The Detective’. Persuade him to let you through the secret door behind the bookshelf and into the main attraction...

 ...The white tiles, exposed brickwork, soft lighting and handcrafted wooden bar all add to the intrigue. The bar staff know their liquor: order your favourite glass of the hard stuff and hunker down with your partner in crime. evansandpeel.com