The London Dossier

Bars and Pubs

The Black Gardenia ****
93 Dean Street, W1D 3SZ

Formerly known as Push, this intimate basement space was taken over and transformed in January 2007 by Jake Vegas and Ronnie King of Lady Luck fame. Despite its small size, it is a great little Soho dive. There is an admission charge most nights as there are usually DJs and live bands playing jazz, blues and other vintage grooves. The bar has an explicit door policy of no jeans and tends to attract a colourful crowd.

N.B. Make sure you bring cash, as cards are not accepted.

Bradley's Spanish Bar ****
42-44 Hanway Street, W1T 1UP. (020) 7636 0359

Tucked away on Hanway Street is this tiny two-floor 'Spanish' bar which tends to attract a friendly crowd. It has a great atmosphere, great old-fashioned Spanish decor and a jukebox with a fairly nice (though small) selection of 50's and 60's 45s.

The Phoenix Artist Club ****
1 Phoenix Street (off Charing Cross Road), WC2H 0DT. (020) 7836 1077

A pub-style gem of a bar hidden away beneath the Phoenix Theatre. Lovely atmosphere and decor, and plenty of seats. Generally nice music too. The bar is open till 3am at weekends, but after 8pm admission is restricted to members only.

Ain't Nothin' But... The Blues Bar ***
20 Kingly Street, W1B 5PZ. (020) 7287 0514

Small authentic blues bar with a great atmosphere and live music every night. Big names occasionally perform here on weekends and there is usually an admission charge. Gets very busy most nights of the week, so arrive early if you want to get in.

The Boogaloo ***
312 Archway Road, Highgate, N6 5AT. (020) 8340 2928

Located minutes from Highgate tube station, The Boogaloo is a late-night ground floor pub that opened in 2002 (it was previously The Shepherd's). It boasts a real open fire and a (CD) jukebox with a great selection that includes the likes of Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Arthur Alexander, Bobby Bland and Howlin' Wolf. Be aware that the pub now plays host to clubs nights and other events most evenings, so not the place for a quiet drink after dinner.

The Cross Keys ***
31 Endell Street, WC2H 9BA. (020) 7836 5185

Beautifully decorated inside and out, this traditional English pub is a real oasis of old-world charm. Be warned however, that due to its tiny size it can be difficult to get a seat at weekends.

The Salisbury ***
1 Grand Parade, Green Lanes, N4 1JX. (020) 8800 9617

Originally a late-Victorian hotel, the Salisbury is a grand old pub on the corner of Green Lanes and St Ann's Road. Fortunately most of its architectural features have been retained, giving it a very impressive appearance. Inside it is very cosy and in the winter it's lovely to grab an old sofa in front of one of the open fires. Music is provided by a reasonably priced CD jukebox which includes a small, but excellent, selection of 60s music. There is also occasional live music. The pub now has a late license and opens till 2am at weekends and 1am during the week (midnight on Sundays).

101 (Formerly Point 101) **
101 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1DB. (020) 7379 3112

Situated right behind Centre Point Tower is this fairly smart two-floor late-opening bar. It usually has a nice atmosphere on weekday nights, but is best avoided at weekends as it can get packed with a less civilised crowd. Since its opening in 1998, it has been re-decorated and the original stylish minimalist decor replaced with a more fussy version. It has also been renamed - dropping the "Point" to become simply "101".

Octave **
27-29 Endell Street, WC2H 9BA. (020) 7836 4616

Though rather tacky looking from the outside, this bar/restaurant is far nicer inside. The interior is comfortable and fairly stylish. The walls are decorated with photos and paintings of jazz and blues musicians. Quiet during the early part of the week, this place comes alive at weekends and features live jazz and jazz-related music from small combos.

Revolution **
2 St Anne's Court, W1F 0AX. (020) 7434 0330

Revolution is one of London's largest vodka bars. They serve over 90 different styles of vodka - straight, shaken, stirred, blended and flavoured. Unusual flavours include chocolate orange, apple strudel, cream soda, and chilli! They also serve the classic James Bond martini - as dry as you like; with olives or a lemon twist. The atmosphere is usually good, but it tends to get overcrowded on weekends and the choice of music can be quite unappealing.

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