The best bars in Covent Garden

Since 1972 the resolutely old school Le Beaujolais has been famed for its selection of wine and cheeses. The historic restaurant downstairs is members' only but the retro ground floor bar is open to all. There's a strong 1980s feel here, but it's the perfect semi-hidden destination to sink a reasonably priced Côtes du Rhône from an exclusively French wine list. 

Inside the Nomad Hotel – which was once the Grade II-listed Bow Street Magistrates’ Court – you'll find Side Hustle, an atmospheric bar in the former police station, with low lights, leather booths, a Californian-inspired menu (try the build-your-own beef short rib tacos) and enough tequila and mezcal cocktails to guarantee a good night’s sleep.

Kitsch, messy and a late-night legend, this basement bar attracts a regular crowd of debauched luvvies and miscreants. The club is members only, but the trick to enjoying its way-past-midnight hospitality is to arrive before 8pm and stay put.

For a relaxing tipple and a bite to eat, The 10 Cases delivers the goods. It’s got a Continental bistro vibe, and serves tempting, predominantly Old World wines by the glass and with small plates galore.

Though it's only been around for a decade or so, the grand European cafe that is The Delaunay feels like its been here for decades. The interior is an utter treat; all green leather banquette seating, dark wood, brass rails, antique mirrors and a black and white marble floor. You'll find the bar before entering the main dining room, and the menu is as wilfully vintage as the interiors, with cocktails inspired by 1930s theatreland and shimmering star power of Laurence Oliver, Vivien Leigh and Noël Coward. Fabulous stuff, darling.

Offering a pretty damn authenic slice of drinking, Munich-style, Bierschenke is a low-ceilinged and roomy underground bierkeller with a menu of Bavarian delights. Currywurst and schnitzel go well alongside a host of beers (of course), including weiss beers, dark beers and helles lager. Oompah bands play on Saturdays, but general hollering is encouraged throughout the week. 

When someone says ‘wine bar’, this Covent Garden spot is exactly what you’ll picture – rustic, cosy, and filled with bottles. The focus is on organic wine by female producers, and includes drops by the glass – although carafes are where you’ll find the best bargains. Food-wise, the emphasis is definitely on cheese.

Stereo is made for big nights out. Just on the south side of Covent Garden's glorious Piazza, this subterranean venue offers up cocktails named after classic rock tracks (anyone for a whiskey, vermouth and rosemary Hotel California?) live music, DJs and American-style bar snacks to power you through the evening. 

Back in the late 1980s, this was the place to be. A hidden cellar with a faintly industrial feel, it carried with it a certain easygoing democracy, a welcome change from style-trial nightclubs and members-only enterprises such as the Groucho. It’s still standing the test of time, unlike many of its eighties’ peers.

This former public loo is convenient in a whole new way, now a cocktail bar dishing up a daily happy hour. It’s popular thanks to its over-the-top look, with lurid neon and flowery booths. If all that doesn’t scream ‘party’ to you, try taking a trip to the toilets, kitted out with disco balls and dance anthems.

A gaudy neon arrow points the way to this tiny basement, where cabaret, lounge singers and drag acts ensure things go with a swing.

A fairly cosy wine bar in equally cosy Neal’s Yard, CdVS takes its cue from its older sister bar in Paris. So have a sophisticated time on the wine, with plenty of interesting options available by the glass and great paired with a plate of cheese.

So the theme is a little naff at The Escapologist, which takes its name from some Victorian scoundrel or other. But the 20-strong cocktail menu makes it well worth a visit.

Just a leap from the piazza on the way down to The Strand, Eve Bar has an ominous dark entrance and a witchy-looking, biblical theme. Temptation comes in the form of experimental bar snacks and cocktails with all the dry ice in the world. Some of these drinks are delectable, even if they don’t all meet the mark. And service is super-friendly – just what you need in this crowded part of town. It's downstairs from chef Adam Handling's Frog and is his first standalone bar. 

One thing is for sure at LCC: you’re in for a good time. The bar staff bring the atmosphere as well as quality cocktails at serious speed. Party tunes are paired with party drinks, with garnishes as hefty as the delicious booze.

Sushi purists will struggle with this Japanese-Peruvian-Brazilian fusion restaurant, but the fabulous decor and the expansive cocktail menu (as well as the prices) are just as impressive as its infamous City counterpart. Best of all, you can drop in to the bar for just a drink – and in among that foliage is the perfect setting to do so.