The cosiest places to visit in London

This basement bar in Hoxton is probably London's worst-kept secret, but don't let that put you off – just make sure to book first. Staff are friendly, standing is not allowed, and much of the light comes from candles. It’s a space that really lends itself to long catch-ups with a friend while sipping on inventive cocktails. It’s intimate and cosy enough you can easily spend hours here, especially if the autumn weather outside is on the wetter end of the spectrum.

The armchairs and sofas here would be begging you to sink into them even if they weren’t surrounded by rugs, low-hanging lights and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The Wellcome Collection’s gallery/library/events space is filled with paintings, manuscripts and fascinating artefacts to peruse, but make sure you do as the Reading Room’s name implies and choose a good page-turner to curl up with too.

Underground, lit by candles and centuries-old – the cosy factor of Gordon’s is off the scale. Established in 1890 and still family-run, it’s thought to be the oldest wine bar in London. The wine list spans across continents and includes winter warmers such as sherry and port. Being a London classic, it gets busy in here (you might have to stand rather than lounge), but it all adds to that cosy atmosphere. And who knows who else across the capital's storied past might have hunkered down here in decades past? 

Where so many London cafes will move you along before the dregs of your macchiato are even cold, Tufnell Park’s Rustique Literary Cafe excels at providing a seriously leisurely coffee experience. Here, you can sit for hours at a book-shaped table by a trickling fountain and listen to the sweet symphonies of Classic FM while you flick through a bit of Shakespeare or a Nigella Lawson autobiography you’ve pulled off the shelf. Couple your reading with chomping your way through a hearty jacket potato for the ultimate winter warmer.

They take the art of cosiness very, very seriously in the Swiss Alps – and so would you if you lived on a freezing cold mountaintop. This basement restaurant is a celebration of Alpine culture at its best, serving up fondue galore, with dirndl-clad waitresses sweeping through kitschy wood-lined interiors. Finish up with warm apple strudel for maximum gemütlich atmosphere. The next best thing to a mini-break. 

With crackling log fires and a higgedly-piggedly maze of rooms, this eighteenth-century wood-panelled pub is the very definition of snug. After a crisp walk on Hampstead Heath, this local favourite will give you a warm and cosy welcome, complete with cask ales and hearty comfort food. With comfy corners and nooks to nestle up in everywhere you look, there’s really no better place for you to regain the feeling in your toes.

A good pile of books can make any corner cosy. Imagine the snugness, then, inside what is perhaps London’s most beautiful bookshop. Gloriously Edwardian, complete with oak balconies and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stuffed with literary jewels from around the world, this place is a true gem. Proceed with caution, though – once you’re wrapped up warm and let loose inside this Marylebone store, you can lose hours of your weekend. Before you know it, it'll be closing time – and your bank account will be looking a lot sorrier. 

What's more cosy than a gigantic cup of hot chocolate? Well, a gigantic cup of hot chocolate with fresh waffles on the side, obviously. Italian Bear is a cafe that's a haven for fans of the sweet stuff, with its inviting interior featuring sparkling copper moulds on the wall and a counter that's full of seasonal goodies. 

This bar at the five-star Rosewood London hotel is named after the London-born artist and caricaturist Gerald Scarfe (former illustrator for The Sunday Times and New Yorker). His work – including portraits of The Beatles – can be seen adorning the marble walls here, providing a great backdrop to a swanky-looking yet undeniably intimate spot. Featuring live music seven nights a week.

Newsflash: museums aren’t just for gazing at arty artefacts on rainy days. The V&A Café is proof. High ceilings, arched stained-glass windows, marble pillars... we’d say it was showing off if we weren’t too busy Instagramming its magnificence. Obviously, you can do the exhibition bit too (in fact, seek out examples of world-class and super-cosy knitted garms for added points), but just make sure your slow day at the V&A ends with you wandering into the café, finding a seat under a window and getting stuck into a steaming hot chocolate. Pair it with a bowl of soup for ultimate cosy heaven. 

No, not a bargain suit shop, but a basement bar in a former tailor's store room. Watch your head on the incredibly low ceilings as you descend the stairs to this lair of warm brick walls, exposed timber beams, and dimly lit corners for a cosy drink. There are some seriously skilled cocktail mixologists behind the bar, while the warm atmosphere is the perfect antidote to chilly winter temperatures. 

Who said you needed to be indoors to be cosy? This quirky Battersea beer garden is bathed in fairy lights and filled with sofas that look as though they’re from your grandma’s front room. When the nights are long and a little nippy, head outside wrapped in scarves and blankets, to enjoy cocktails and live music. They’ll even provide hot water bottles on especially icy evenings to keep you extra toasty. 

Tucked away in leafy north London, this Salvation Army hall turned independent cinema and live performance space is next-level inviting. An ideal retreat for a rainy day, the creative hub hosts live music, workshops and discussion groups, as well as film screenings. Think squishy leather sofas, friendly staff serving hot, frothy drinks and cinema screens in intimate, warm and dimly lit rooms. There are even piles of blankets on hand for extra warmth while the films are playing – snuggle down under one for that 'at home' feeling. 

Visiting Clerkenwell’s Zetter Townhouse feels a bit like lodging at the home of your beloved, slightly dotty Great Aunt Wilhelmina – 200 years ago. She travels the world picking up souvenirs: taxidermy, Oriental rugs and tinctures in dark brown bottles to display throughout her 13-bedroom Clerkenwell residence. A short walk from central London, The Zetter Townhouse is a local hotspot for its Cocktail Lounge alone. Book a stay in one of the rooms to keep the cosiness flowing. 

This creaky Limehouse pub is a pocket of cosiness in the otherwise hustle and bustle of the Docklands. It’s all wood panels and narrow staircases, and, needless to say, there’s a roaring open fire that’s just waiting to be huddled around. Head in on a cold, wintery day and order mug after mug of mulled wine.