Whether a cosmopolitan or a sauvignon is your usual tipple of choice, Highbury & Islington’s selection of cocktail and wine bars is as extensive as its happy hour menus. Walk one length of Upper Street and you’ll come across at least a handful of old English pubs and bars ready to pour you a glass after work, or come Friday night, as many as you please.
But if you like your cocktails shaken and not stirred, we’ve put together a list of the most standout wine and cocktail bars in Islington for their attentive bar staff, creative menus and vibrant atmospheres.
So have your corkscrews and stirrers at the ready… after all, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
The best cocktail and wine bars in Islington
The bar with no name…
You’ll no doubt see 69 Colebrooke Row, at the top of many a list of cocktail bar recommendations in Islington, and for good reason. In fact, it would be remiss of us not to include this film noir themed bar as part of this list.
Aside from its street address, this bar is otherwise known as ‘The Bar With No Name’ – somewhat ironic, but nonetheless fitting given its trendy menu and even trendier clientele.
The seasonal drinks list here reads like a Michelin star menu, with ingredients such as truffle, rose petal vodka and tomato yolk used in the drinks. Each cocktail is meticulously balanced in flavour and presented just as delicately. Reserve a table at The Bar With No Name on a Tuesday or Thursday and enjoy a performance from house pianist, Maurice Horhut – an evening truly well spent.
Average cocktail price: £11.50
Four Sisters
The Four Sisters is an Islington cocktail bar that’s proud of its history and heritage formed on Canonbury Lane, which shines through in the vintage interiors of this cosy and intimate bar. Pressing and blending many of the ingredients used in their cocktails, Four Sisters is very much an in-house affair, allowing them to present a menu that’s as inventive as it is tasty.
With cocktails such as an Urban BBQ complete with whiskey, mezcal and grilled pineapple, or a Thai Me Up made with Bacardi, lemongrass, coconut and rice, this is one of those cocktail bars where it’s hard to choose which drink to order first.
Head to Four Sisters on a Friday or Saturday night and you can work your way through the menu right up until 2am, so there’s plenty of time to try everything you like the sound of.
Average cocktail price: £9-10
As soon as you learn that Little Bat is part of the infamous Callooh Callay cocktail bar family, you can rest assured that you’re in for an unforgettable evening of cocktails with a twist of theatrics on top. This award-winning bar and kitchen follows the same Lewis Carroll nonsense theme as its sister bars, making their cocktail and wine menu creative, fun whilst still serving the classic drinks that we know and love.
From a zesty pineapple daiquiri to a refreshing cucumber and elderflower fizz, Little Bat welcomes guests to settle in and enjoy a Mad Hatter-esque cocktail wonderland. If cocktails aren’t for you, the wine list here is extensive with whites and reds sourced from Italy, South Africa and France.
Little Bat’s kitchen delivers on just an impressive scale, serving small plates such as five hour slow-roasted pork belly, seared scallops and paprika squid, along with larger main meals including tri-tip steak and beetroot risotto.
Average cocktail price: £9-10
Humble Grape
Sommeliers of Islington, unite. Humble Grape is a wine bar on a mission to bring the best of the winemaking world to the lips of red, white and rose lovers from far and wide. With an ever-changing list of no less than 400 wines to their name and counting, Humble Grape champions the produce of sustainable vineyards that use organic materials and are largely family-run businesses. An ethos that we’re more than happy to get behind.
Take a seat at Humble Grape’s wine bar in Islington and relax in its aptly humble surroundings. Peruse the list of artisan wines at your leisure, or ask a member of staff for guidance and a recommendation and they’re more than clued up to be able to assist. A pure joy. And it doesn’t stop there, Humble Grape offer wine tasting sessions with an expert in the comfort of your own home, as well as the option to order wines by the case if you’re a member of their prestigious wine club.
Average price of a bottle: £50-100
The Ladybird Bar’s colourful lighting, funky decor and various speakeasy themed rooms make this the go-to cocktail bar in Islington when you’re ready for a big night out. This is for letting your hair down at the end of a long week and finishing it off with a punchy cocktail or three.
Choose from gin-based classics such as a Spiced Sling with pineapple sherbet, or if whiskey’s your tipple then a Stairway to the South complete with Rebel Yell bourbon, honey, pear and lemon is tangy yet sweet delight. Head downstairs and it’s time to get on your dancing shoes as Ladybird’s basement is where some of Islington’s best loved DJs regularly play house, latin and funk from the decks.
Visit Ladybird Bar between 5pm and 9pm any day of the week and you’ve hit happy hour, where guests can enjoy 2 for £12 cocktails on Sunday to Friday.
Average cocktail price: £9-10
If you try out a few too many cocktails from our list and find yourself with a fuzzy head the next morning, our guide to the best brunch in Islington will fix it. Or for an even healthier option, our favourite vegan and vegetarian restaurants should do the trick.
If cocktails just aren’t your thing, we’ve collated a list of our favourite pubs in Islington, so be sure to check that out.
And if you’re thinking of moving to the area, then get in touch with one of our Camden & Tufnell Park estate agents who will be more than happy to talk through our current portfolio.
Looking for drinks outside of the Islington area, check out our local guides:
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