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Joao's Place

Proper cocktails in a Saint James Square basement where the drinks list actually makes sense and the bartenders know what they're doing.

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You'll find yourself descending into one of those New Town basement spots that feels properly lived-in rather than Instagram-ready. Joao's Place has the kind of cocktail menu that respects your intelligence—no molecular mixology nonsense, just technically excellent drinks made with actual ingredients you recognise. The crowd here skews towards folk who actually care about what's in their glass, but it never feels pretentious. It's the sort of place where you can nurse a Negroni for an hour without anyone minding, or settle in for a proper night out with mates.