The best bars in Kensington for classy cocktails

Top-notch drinks and table service is as good as you’d expect from a quality hotel, with oak-panelled walls and a marble-topped bar adding to the air of opulence. Cocktails are competitively priced and expertly mixed, and for the nightcap crowd, there’s even a menu of dessert drinks.

Steeped in musical history, this multi-faceted venue has played host to some of the world’s greatest artists, from Sammy Davis Jr and Jimi Hendrix to Led Zeppelin jam sessions. The ground-floor café is a charming space with stained glass and wood panelling, where you can indulge in a glass of wine and imagine London’s headier days.

Tucked away inside The Gore Hotel, Bar 190 is part of rock'n'roll folklore. It's here the Rolling Stones held the suitably decadent launch party for their 1968 album Beggars Banquet, so rock star behaviour isn't just expected here, it's encouraged. 

A cutesy cocktail bar with food, come to Publiq for seasonally inspired drinks, including fig and thyme fizz, white lavender negronis, and an ume vieux carre. Martinis come in olive oil and brown butter variations, and you can order a halfsize mini martini if you're pacing yourself (a wise move, as they're pretty potent here). 

Getting into this supernaturally dark bar in Earls Court is, for many, the best part of the experience. Present ‘your case’ to a private detective before they pull back the bookcase and let you step inside for a drink. Cocktails are memorable, with intriguing flavours – from fresh to smokey.

Quietly but quickly, the Balans Soho Society chain has been taking over London with its simple, winning formula. Brunch and brekkie here is great, but we also enjoy an extremely wine-based evening here. 

Piano Kensington where you'll be thrilled by live jazz pianists five nights a week. Find it inside the Royal Garden Hotel, and don't forget to request some bangers as well as wine and a pizza for good measure.