Claridge's Bar

Walk into Claridge's Bar and you're stepping into proper old-school London glamour, the kind that doesn't need to shout about it. The art deco interiors aren't trying too hard; they just are, all warm wood panelling and that particular golden light that makes everyone look vaguely famous. You'll find yourself at the sort of bar where the bartenders actually know what they're doing—no faffing about, just precise, elegant cocktails made with the kind of care you don't get everywhere. It's the sort of place you end up in after a gig at Ronnie Scott's or when you want to feel like you've got your life together, even if you haven't. The crowd skews grown-up and international, which somehow keeps it from feeling stuffy.