Craven Gardens Bar

You'll find Craven Gardens Bar quietly holding court on Leinster Terrace, in that stretch of Bayswater where the mansion blocks give way to something more lived-in and real. It's the kind of place that doesn't need to shout about itself—the fact that it's attached to Smart Hostels means you get an interesting mix of locals and travellers who've stumbled onto something good. The bar does proper cocktails without the eye-watering prices or Instagram theatrics you'd get a ten-minute walk south near the park. It's unpretentious, genuinely welcoming, and the sort of spot where you can actually hear yourself talk.