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Here are some of Cavendish Venues top favourite bars in the West- End Conference Centres and we highly recommend you to visit them while you are in the area.

Mr Fogg’s House of Botanicals 

Mr Fogg’s House is near to our West-End Conference Centres : Hallam Conference Centre & Cavendish Conference Centre. The bar is very unique bar and it is not to be missed.

For one, because this is the fourth bar in the Mr. Fogg’s dynasty, following the runaway success of his Mayfair Residence and Covent Garden tavern and gin parlour, both of which are pretty stellar. And for two, because this one’s set in a grand two storey Fitzrovia townhouse & garden, which they’ve given the feel of a lush, verdant Victorian glass house.

They’ve accomplished this by scattering tall, frond-heavy potted plants about the parquet flooring of the ground floor bar, allowing a deluge of natural light to flow in through the huge sash windows, and having birdcages filled with boughs of exotic flowers dangle from the double-height ceiling above. Heading up the stairs, you’ll find a second bar, in a slightly more cosy & atmospheric space populated by studded armchairs & chintzy florals…

THE DRINKS

All of those flowers have also made their way into the drinks, and not because someone hasn’t hung them up properly, but because the menu (named ‘The Secret Language of Flowers Menu’) is based on the Victorian tradition of giving certain blooms to express hidden emotions – and meaning they’re rustling up drinks like the Flight of the Hummingbird (which blends rum, Aperol, raspberry, spiced pineapple, and egg white), and the Cherry Blossom, a mix of gin, Evangelista Ratafia (a blend of wine & black cherry), almond, pineapple, falernum, lime and, Japanese cherry blossom Sakura tea foam.

THE FOOD

There’s edible goodness on offer too, with small bites like confit chicken & pine nut croquettes with roasted chicken gravy & chives; larger bar bites including sweetcorn & chickpea fritters with halloumi, and basil yogurt; or some smoked trout served with a cucumber salad, juniper berry sour cream & spiced soda bread. And for a sweet cap to all of it, they’ve rather innovatively got some honey crumpets on offer topped with whipped honey butter & rosemary honeycomb.

You might want to plant yourself there.

NOTE: Mr. Fogg’s House of Botanicals is open now. You can find out more and reserve a table on their website HERE.

The Lobby Bar

The Lobby Bar is near our Cavendish and Hallam Conference Centres, it has a modern and historic atmospheric. If you like both this is definitely the bar for you.

It’s strikingly beautiful, with marble walls, a snooker table, high-backed leather chairs, and a double-height, deep-moulded ceiling guarded by a hypnotising silver orb the size of a phonebox… and b) because it’s in the lobby.

THE COCKTAILS

Among the mixed drinks on the list, you’ll find:

Eat, Drink and be Sherry – with Belvedere, Manzanilla sherry, Palo Cortado sherry, grapefruit sherbet, lime and angostura

Americanello – with Martini bitter, Barolo Chinato, strawberry and peppermint soda.

Less Dramas, More Bananas – with Havana 3yo, banana cordial, banana liqueur, cream and mint.

The Hammock Tester – with Mount Gay Black Barrel, Pedro Ximinez sherry, lemon, lime sherbet, Averna and egg white.

Of course, apart from all this, there’s also a strong lineup of craft beers (they even have their own organic lager), and a sizeable list of wines, Champagnes, and spirits to back it all up. And soaking it all up? There’s:

THE FOOD

The offerings are all cooked up in the kitchen next door (Jason Atherton’s Berners Tavern), and include easygoing bites like soya & yuzu tuna tartare with baby gem & pickled onion; Berners Tavern’s mac & cheese with braised beef blade; and some truffle & gruyère croquettes.

They’re worth checking out, before you check out.

NOTE: The London EDITION’s Lobby Bar is open daily from 8am-1am (11pm on Sundays). You can find out more at their website right HERE.

The George

The George isn’t exactly new.

In fact, no-one’s really sure exactly when it was even built.

But it’s just had what surely must be one of the most significant upgrades in its history: it’s been taken over by the JKS Group. And anyone who’s been to the other glittering gems in their restaurant portfolio – Gymkhana, BAO, Lyle’s, BiBi, etc. – will understand why that’s such a big deal.

They’ve given the space a nice polish, while keeping the original character intact (it’s Grade-II listed, so a lot of attention to detail was required), and they’ve enlisted the help of James Knappett, a man whose day job involves running the two Michelin Starred Kitchen Table, to help rev up the menu. No big deal.

On it, you’ll find classic pub food that’s been taken up a couple of notches – there are Scottish langoustine scampi & chips; a venison, bacon and prune hotpot; a black pudding Scotch egg; and a good ol’ knickerbocker glory for dessert.

55 Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia, W1W 7LQ
Visit Website

Willows On The Roof Of John Lewis

Willows | John Lewis Rooftop, 300 Oxford Street, W1C 1DX

Behold an excellent reason to travel all the way from John Lewis’s Oxford Street window displays to its rooftop this weekend: Willows, The Festive Edition.

Yes John Lewis has taken its uppermost level, um, up a level by sprucing it up with lots of spruce, lights and Christmas cheer. On the menu? Pizza pies and ice cream sandwiches by surprising culinary duo Gizzie Erskine & Professor Green.

The forest of willow trees that was up there during the summer (when the space was taken over by the team behind Night Tales, who also run an excellent open-air food, drink & music-loaded terrace in East London) has been uprooted and replaced by more winter-appropriate foliage. There’s a huge, twinkling Christmas tree at the rooftop’s core, and the planters and hedges hemming in the space have been strung up with a dazzling array of fairy-lights.

They enclose a couple of different seating areas – there’s cosy tables for two; comfy sofas for bigger groups; picnic tables; and three heated chalets that you can privately book for you and up to eight friends.

The drinks have had a festive reboot, too – you can sip on a Gingerbread Sour (a kind of winter-spiced negroni), the White Old Fashioned and a Mulled Gin & Juice. And mentioned, G&G are still up their with their indulgent pizzas which uniquely combine the refined pleasure of slow-risen sourdough with the carnal satisfaction of stuffed crusts, all flash-cooked in a wood-fired oven. Toppings include all the classics (marg, pepperoni, Hawaiian) with house specials like meatball marinara or the ‘honey trap’.

NOTE: Willows is open daily, 12-10pm. You can check out their website, and make a booking right HERE.

Willows | John Lewis Rooftop, 300 Oxford Street, W1C 1DX

The London Gin Club

The London Gin Club has some brand new owners.

With a long and illustrious history including 18th century taverns and a brief stint as the Turko Bulgarian Sour Milk Company in 1910, the place has been a family business since Ambrose Forte opened his Star Café in 1933. Nearly a century later, his granddaughter Julia launched The London Gin Club with Vicky Fisher. And it did a roaring trade until 2019, when Crossrail builders – much to everyone’s surprise – found themselves breaking into their basement. Now, a few years on, the club’s been lovingly restored with a new duo at the helm: Charlie Gilkes and Duncan Stirling, who already run the exceptional Cahoots and Mr. Fogg’s bars across the city.

You’ll find it on a corner of Soho, emanating a cosy, welcoming glow thanks to the dozens of candles and chintzy lamps dotted around the place. It’s the kind of place you’d just love to stumble across on a rainy Autumn afternoon, that’ll keep you in there a good few hours longer than you meant to stay.

NOTE: The London Gin Club is open Wednesday – Sunday. You can find out more, and make a booking, HERE.

The London Gin Club | 22 Great Chapel Street, Soho, W1F 8FR

SOMA

SOMA is the name of two things:

1) The Hindu Moon God, who had 27 wives – each of whom got mad at him for not giving them enough attention –  and who was personified by an ancient ritual drink that was probably made from a psychoactive plant of some kind… and,

2) A handsome new Sohemian cocktail joint.

Sohemian means that it’s in Soho, by the way.

Only just learned that.

Anyhoo Soma comes to us from Rik Campbell and Will Bowlby, the gentlemen behind Kricket – which if you don’t know is a stylishly convivial trio of restaurants serving creative Indian small plates with British ingredients, alongside usually pretty great cocktails – who have now taken over the spot right next to their Soho restaurant and filled it with a gigantic 9 meter steel bar, and a separate lounge bar off to the side.

And frankly it looks quite sexy.

On the menu Will & Rik (let’s called them Wik; actually on reflection, let’s not) have decided to stick with the tried & tested Kricket philosophy of fusing East with West – the Margarita has chaat masala in it; the Old Fashioned’s made with jaggery and coconut; while the martini includes some lightly pickled mooli and fennel oil; while – in true speakeasy fashion – the food’s restricted to nibbles (like a stack of Indian crackers made from leftover restaurant rice, with a little yoghurt to dip in).

The ice at Soma is so cool.

But ultimately the raison d’être of Soma is to keep you up, whispering; chatting; laughing; and maybe even flirting in one of its darkened corners until late into the night…

The Moon God wouldn’t have it any other way.

NOTE: SOMA is open Tues – Thurs 6pm-1am, and Fri & Sat 6pm-3am. Groups of less than 6 don’t need to book – you can learn more on its website HERE.

SOMA | 12-14 Denman Street, W1D 7HL

Bar La Rampa

Bar La Rampa aims to recreate the atmosphere of 1950’s Havana through authentic cocktails, live music, and food.

And it’s close… but no cigars.

The venue itself is minutes from both the Cavendish & the Hallam – specifically Market Place, a strangely tranquil little nook just around the corner from Nike Town (yes, it’s still there) by Oxford Circus station – comprising the back room, the main restaurant, the bar and an outdoor terrace. Inside, thanks to the contribution of A-nrd studio, they’ve put together something that feels simultaneously retro and fresh. The dark wood fittings and low lighting give it that touch of elegant cool, while the tropical greenery and vibrant artworks lining the walls – courtesy of Cuban artist Orlando Almanza – round out the edges with a spirited splash of colour.

The drinkable artworks emanating from behind the bar are all handled by Mr Marcis Dzelzainis, one of the pioneering mixologists behind the reinvention of the London cocktail scene over the past decade or so. He’s worked with such liquor luminaries as Tony Conigliaro at 69 Colebrooke Row and Ryan Chetiyawardana at Dandelyan – opening bars & devising recipes for them. Anyway here he’s created a rum-focused, Havana-appropriate drinks list that includes sippables such as the ‘Papa Doble’ (an homage to Ernest Hemingway’s drink of choice) and the ‘Jennings Cox’ (named after the inventor of the daiquiri). He’s also apparently been pretty fastidious about recreating the original daiquiri served at El Floridita in Havana.

The food takes the form of a Cuban-inspired small plate menu developed by Ana Gonçalves and Zijun Meng of TĀTĀ Eatery. Signatures include a twist on the classic Cuban sandwich (with pork belly, ham, and raclette cheese); as well as some extraordinary foot-long pork chicharrones (they’re like Cuban scratchings); and some beef-loaded Picadillo Empanadas.

And the live music we mentioned? It’s played by a house band, Tues-Sat, from around 6.30-9pm.

So at least one thing will be smokin’…

NOTE: Bar La Rampa is open Tuesday-Sunday. You can find out more (and make a reservation for lunch or dinner) at their website right HERE.

Bar La Rampa | 7-8 Market Place, W1W 8AG

 The Coral Room

Luckily, there aren’t any great barriers to getting in.

Because while it’s part of the almost terrifyingly glamorous Bloomsbury Hotel, it’s also open to the public. Which is good news for three main reasons:

1) It’s a looker. Designed by Martin Brudnizki (Hix Soho, 45 Jermyn Street, J Sheekey) and housed within the Grade II listed grande dame, this is one of the more impressive places you could sweep your date off to. Lined with its eponymous coral walls, it’s designed to evoke ‘a country house in the city’, but could more accurately be described as ‘a showstopping orange salon fitted with five bespoke Murano glass chandeliers; a glass-and-marble fused bar; and its very own leafy cigar terrace out the back‘. Potato, potahto.

2) The drinks are good. Very good. They boast an all-English sparkling wine list, but you’ll want to try the cocktails first – like the Big Smoke, which combines tequila and Quiquiriqui mezcal, orange chili syrup and chipotle tincture with ginger ale; or the Green Fingers, slipping vodka into a potent mix of kale juice, pineapple juice, and ginger, lime and agave syrups.

3) You won’t need to go anywhere else. Because naturally you can get bar snacks to go with your drinks, like seared tuna with wasabi mayo or lobster and crayfish mac ‘n’ cheese – and towards the end of the week, there’s even live musicians to keep you company.

Meaning there’s no reason to move… atoll.

NOTE: The Coral Room is found in the Bloomsbury Hotel, and is open from breakfast (10am) – nightcap (midnight/1am Fri and Sat) every day. You can find out more on their website HERE.

The Coral Room | The Bloomsbury Hotel, 16-22 Great Russell Street, WCIB 3NN

The Wigmore

The Wigmore | Marylebone Pub

Described as a sociable ‘tavern’ for the neighbouring Langham hotel, The Wigmore is just your typical English boozer – if typical boozers were entirely green, had chefs from two Michelin-starred establishments overseeing the food and the actual world’s best bar behind the drinks, that is.

…Welcome to your new local.

A vast space with slick green walls, elegant tiled flooring and abstract chandeliers suspended over retro dividing screens, it’s unbelievably sleek looking – even when it’s showing a match, tastefully projected onto a screen drawn over a window.

The food takes on a classic British feel, headed up by the renowned Michel Roux Jr., who’s already cooked up a storm at the Landau restaurant inside the hotel. For his move next door, he’s plating up hefty meat dishes like braised veal and ham pie, devilled lambs kidneys and short rib with a bone marrow crumb.

Scan the drinks menu, meanwhile, and you’ll find a set of wines on tap, locally-brewed ales, punch bowls and ‘hoptails’ (that’s er, beer cocktails). And considering they’re all overseen by the team from the Artesian Bar – which has been named best bar in the world for four years in a row – they’re probably going to be pretty good…

NOTE: The Wigmore is open Monday-Saturday from noon till midnight (1am Thurs-Sat). It’s walk-in only; you can find out more on the website HERE.

The Wigmore | 13 Langham Place, Upper Regent Street, W1B 1JA

Bourne & Hollingsworth Bar

‘A small and perfectly formed cocktail bar situated in the heart of Fitzrovia’.

Thus Bourne and Hollingsworth is described… by its owner.

But hey: if you don’t back yourself then no-one will.

Bourne and Hollingsworth – a quirky basement cocktail bar in Fitzrovia – combines Impressionist murals, mismatched chairs, and decadent banquette seating to create the unique and unusual sensation of getting lightly sozzled in the National Gallery.

Cahoots

Up until now, there have been two major problems with London’s most theatrical, vintage tube carriage-containing, live music-delivering, 1940s-style cocktail bar:

1) It hasn’t existed, and

2) Had it existed, it would have likely been located in East London; it might have been rubbish; and it would have certainly required hours of queuing to get in.

But thankfully it now does exist – in the post war, underground drinking den form of Cahoots – not in East London, but just off Carnaby Street. And it’s not rubbish, but instead a tongue-in-cheek, subterranean escape from the real world which genuinely does transport you to a different era.

You’ll enter the 1940s by descending a staircase – which looks like one of the old wooden escalators that used to lead down to the tube – marked “To The Trains”. Enter through the ticket hall and you’ll instantly find yourself in an intimate, buzzy and clandestine cocktail den containing a replica 1940s tube carriage complete with vintage adverts visible on the exposed brick wall through the windows. Elsewhere you’ll spot railway tracks; modified steel bunk beds; old lampshades mixed with chandeliers; bartenders (in braces, of course) serving cocktails that mix champagne with garden peas, alongside black market liquor and post-war favourites; framed tube maps and polished white, underground tiles; old clocks that tick backwards; bunting, sandbags; luggage racks and – several times each week – a live band playing 1940s jazz and swing.

But most happily of all, the thorn of queuing has been mercifully removed from your side… because they take reservations.

NOTE: Cahoots is open daily. You can find out more, and book a table (or the carriage, for up to 40) HERE.

Cahoots Underground | 13 Kingly Court, W1B 5PW