City Party Bars

Botanical features bring a touch of the outdoors to this Drake & Morgan outpost amid the high towers of the City, from its garden-inspired lounge to the relaxing private dining room. The first-floor bar and dining area works for large group dinners on wooden bench tables, while smaller gatherings are best served in the basement private dining room, or two even smaller vaults. Cocktail masterclasses are included in the venue’s teambuilding offering.

Art-laden walls and Conran interiors have helped D&D London’s South Place Hotel establish itself as a hip City hang-out. With five dedicated function rooms on its first floor, it’s also caught the eye of event organisers. Hire the five of them together and you’ll have space to invite up to 400 guests for multistage parties. The food is top drawer: Michelin-starred Angler, up on the roof, and the ground-floor South Place Chop House can both be hired exclusively.

Set within two Victorian railway arches beneath Blackfriars bridge, Sama Bankside is a vibrant new restaurant, bar and events space. Spanning 550sq m and set over two floors, the industrial-looking venue (with plenty of exposed brick and a polished concrete floor) bills itself as ‘a members club without the membership’, but can also host meetings, dinners, product launches and workshops. Our pick of the spaces is the colourful glass-fronted private room.

In West India Quay, this sleek bar from the Drake & Morgan group offers a selection of spaces for breakfast meetings (backed by AV equipment), drinks receptions and private dinners. While exclusive use is an option, groups can also hire the lower-ground floor or sections across the venue. A stylish and capacious outdoor terrace is available to hire year-round – come winter, it’s filled with six eight-seat private igloos that will keep guests fed and warm.

New for 2018, this pop-up ‘urban beach’ will be brought to Brick Lane by Awesome Events for June and July, hosting festival-feel summer parties. Barefoot guests will feel the sand between their toes while tucking into superior street food and craft beers from a variety of themed stands. The silent disco and beach games should keep everyone entertained, while VIP beach huts will please the big wigs. Its top Surf’s Up package also includes fun fair stalls and fire performers.

In the new Principal Place development in Shoreditch, The Allegory has a modern, industrial look (exposed pipes, lots of concrete) and a buzzy vibe. Part of the Drake & Morgan group, the venue comprises 600sq m of space to play with. Our pick is the outdoor terrace. Breakfast meetings, corporate lunches, drinks receptions and networking events can all be hosted – group set menus can be arranged, as can mixology masterclasses.

Down on Canary Wharf waterfront, 28 West takes the edge off busy days in the financial district. Alongside continental beers and classic cocktails, menus cover the casual bistro bases (think burgers and steaks). Its two spaces can be hired privately: the Bar for buzzy standing receptions with bowl food and canapés; the Lounge for sharing platters on sofas. VIP events are handled with aplomb; for more ad hoc occasions, there’s table football in the bar.

Opposite the Bank of England, 1 Lombard Street is a City institution, serving elegant European dishes backed by an extensive drinks list. Its main space has a soaring glass-dome ceiling and houses the Bar and Brasserie, which can be combined for dinners or standing receptions. For a quiet working lunch, try the adjacent 1776 restaurant, while the Botanical Room, resplendent in floral prints and vintage details, is the spot for private dining.

Occupying levels 34 to 52 of the soaring Shard, this hotel’s USP is self-evident. Apart from some of the best views in London, this five-star establishment offers event space notable for its top-spec AV kit, natural daylight and dynamic design. Ren, the headline space, is suited to conferences, meetings or banquets; for private dining, check out Yi or Li. If complete privacy is needed, groups can take over the hotel’s 34th floor exclusively.

One of Drake & Morgan’s earliest sites, three-floor Holborn bar The Fable is inspired by the world of fairy tales and Aesop’s fables – decorative touches such as vintage typewriters and old books set the scene. Aesop’s Table can host smaller groups for board meetings and private dinners: menus focus on locally sourced British dishes. Cocktails can be recreated by corporate groups at one of the bar’s mixology masterclasses. Exclusive use is an option.

Just two minutes from Cannon Street station, The Listing is housed in a striking glazed, double-height building. Cocktails are a speciality and mixology masterclasses can be arranged. Menus comprise sharing boards and global dishes (from crab bruschetta to crispy duck flatbread), which can be served up for private dinners and canapé receptions. Exclusive use is an option and, come summer, a large terrace hits the mark for outdoor dining.

This multi-faceted venue occupies a Grade II-listed East India Company warehouse, housing four distinct bars and restaurants. The New Street Grill is split into two main areas and its plush interiors extend to the private dining room. The Fish Market is less formal: a seaside-inspired space with a terrace. Events can also be held in the venue’s handsome New Street Wine and its Old Bengal Bar, which has a walled courtyard and big focus on cocktails.

Perched on the roof of No 1 Poultry, Coq d’Argent boasts impressive views towards St Paul’s and the Bank of England. Guests step out of the lift into the venue’s standout space: a rooftop garden designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd. This is a splendid spot for a champagne picnic when the sun is shining. A bar and terrace can be hired for drinks, dinner and canapé parties, while the inside space can be booked exclusively for breakfast meetings and other business events.