Hawksmoor Seven Dials Bar

Hawksmoor's butch London steakhouses are bankers for beefed-up cocktails that consistently cut the mustard. The woody basement bar beneath its Covent Garden outpost recalls an officers' mess when hearts of oak still ruled the waves, so grab yourself a swivel stool and settle in for ship-shape toddies, grogs, cups, cobblers, shrubs and punches served by live-wire staff. A navy-strength gimlet should fend off scurvy, while the main ingredient of shipwreck sour (cider brandy, Cognac, ginger wine, lemon and egg white) claims to be a happy by-product of a maritime misadventure off the Devon coast. Tiki-style rum numbers appear in a section entitled ‘disco drinks', while three bottles of Manhattan (£17.50) for two to share could do some serious damage on the dance floor. London ales and porter, lobster rolls, hot dogs and big juicy burgers with to-die-for triple-cooked chips are further reasons to drop anchor here.