Best South Bank Bars

A former public convenience near Tower Bridge has been converted into a subterranean drinking den with an art-deco look of chequered floor tiles and marquetry panelling that pays homage to the golden era of cocktail making. With most sips pegged at £9.50, you’d expect a decent drink and you won’t be disappointed: Sage of Consent, for example, packs enough punch for a rumble in the jungle with its blend of butter-washed rum, sage, citrusy bergamot, lemon juice and dark cane sugar. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something lighter, there are some cheaper aperitifs and spritzers – try the aptly named South of the River (sloe gin, lemon, sugar and Prosecco) or the more serious Chrysanthemum with its mix of absinthe, Bénédictine and Lillet Blanc. BAC is open until 2am, which sounds like a good excuse to use to use the night tube – even though the nearest station is a 15-mInute walk away.

The Hide is a nondescript-looking bar tucked below the International Wine & Spirit Centre – and there’s the rub. Because it’s so close to London’s leading coven for experts in alcoholic beverages, you might expect it to be full of bartenders, emulating Tom Cruise, juggling shakers and practicing dance moves. The reality is less ritzy, though you may get to overhear the odd conversation about double parallel fermentation or suchlike. Instead, focus on the cocktail list, where you’ll find a fistful of classics made with great expertise. Most items cost under a tenner, such as the LDN Cobbler (made with Kamm’s aperitif, blackberry syrup and Roots lemonade) or the Big Lebowski (Moskovskaya vodka, almond milk, Pedro Ximénez and coffee tincture). There are also some spiffingly good wines by the glass and London craft beers to go with tacos, arancini, croquettes and sharing boards.