Five basement bars to heat up the cold season

It may be rare for a former illegal strip club to feature as a date night recommendation but this dark brassy bar has fast become one of the most celebrated spots in London. Home to the holy trinity: large cuts, triple cooked chips and award-winning cocktails, as well as a seriously seductive décor, there’s little not to love. Book in advance and secure a turquoise clad alcove for a private late night affair. Hawksmoor

Speakeasy bars in London are aplenty, after all what better way to celebrate drinking than in an era when it was banned, but The Bootlegger is by far our favourite. Clad with prohibition detail and known for attracting an attractive (and mischievous) crowd, this 1920s establishment is a sultry spot to hideout from the cold weather. Enjoy hooch filled cocktails served in discreet beakers, teacups and flasks whilst indulging in a great deal of hedonism with that someone special. The Bootlegger 

Merchant House is a handsome bar tucked away on Bow Lane and styled on the mercantile history of the British Empire. The interior is decked with dark woods, navy leather banquettes and flickering candlelight making it an elegant retreat to take a partner during those long winter nights. Select your poison from a trove of premium Gin and Rums including the titular Merchant, a mix of house spiced rum, coffee, hazelnut, and vanilla. Merchant House

It may sound like a cliché but our final basement bar is a hidden gem – accessed via a door built into the brickwork of the upstairs restaurant. Home to pretty much every gin available in the world and a Kid Acne double wall commission there’s plenty to keep you and your date entertained whilst sitting out a snow storm (or London’s version thereof). Ask For Janice