The best bars and cafés London

This superb restaurant has seduced London's aristocracy, who flock here at teatime to soak up the purest British tradition. It has the grace of a Lady.Afternoon tea is a ritual that the Wolseley has mastered perfectly, and which has earned it its reputation. Cream tea comes with scones and cucumber sandwiches, served in lustrous silverware. Afternoon tea with homemade jam and clotted cream. A must for all those wishing to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Jane Austen's novels.

Waxy O'Connors would be the largest Irish pub in the world and for good reason. The place has 4 bars and 6 floors connected by a labyrinth of stairs and passages. Not to mention the Tree Room, whose decoration literally revolves around a real tree. Richly decorated from floor to ceiling, each floor cultivates its own style and changes its atmosphere. Thanks to the 3 giant screens, the place is ideal for watching live sports. You can also eat there, and every Sunday, a real Irish music orchestra comes to play.

England sometimes still appears so Victorian. This pub is a case in point. The facade dates from 1844 and the interior decoration was completed a few years later in 1875. The interior, furnished in dark wood, cultivates a typical atmosphere to enjoy copious snacks and good beers in this timeless place. The Bunch of Grapes comes alive especially from 6pm, a sign that the office workers in the area have finished their day and that the museums and shops in South Kensington have closed their doors. Then there is only one thing left to do.

This pub is THE indie destination of London's rock scene, with its large cobbled courtyard furnished with wooden tables and canapés. It made a name for itself during the heyday of Kate Moss and Pete Doherty, when the latter regularly played here with his band. Quite simply, every band worthy of the name has played here since it opened - it feels as if it's always been there. You're guaranteed an excellent evening in the company of the relaxed waiters and the musicians who take to the stage, in what is ultimately a rather retro atmosphere.

No pens or notepads here. Like other East London venues (Dalston Superstore or JaguarShoes), Printers & Stationers isn't a stationery shop, but an absolutely brilliant wine bar. Behind Columbia Road, we come across this adorable little house, where customers are so local they seem to live on the premises. To get to the main room (presumably the former dining room), you pass a tiny counter, order your wine balloon (often French) and then through the kitchen. The atmosphere is relaxed.

The bar at Wilton's Music Hall, with its Georgian architecture dating from 1690, was frequented by visiting sailors. In its heyday, some sailors even knew of its existence, even though they didn't know about St. Paul's Cathedral! In ruins and abandoned since 1957, it was reborn in 2009 and completed its renovation in 2015. Today, visitors come to soak up its magical, timeless atmosphere and its music hall, where bands regularly perform. An address well worth a visit, even if it's not in the most charming of neighborhoods.

From the outside, an old Jamaican pub, intimidating and grimy. And yet... Here's a gem: extraordinary ambience, live jazz music almost every night and, above all, a motley clientele. Toothless old rastas, students, musicians, cardiologists, neurologists, contortionists, astrologers, gardeners, fishermen, acrobats, bearded ladies, dwarfs, giants, cyclops, civil servants... It also serves good Caribbean cuisine, which goes well with the atmosphere. A well-kept London secret... But we'll give it to you anyway.

As you enter the Cross Keys lair, you discover that every square inch is covered with posters, photos and miscellaneous objects, from the Victorian era to the Beatles. A napkin would even be signed by Elvis Presley. To be watched standing in the bar, in front of a pint of a local beer and a basket of fries! A real classic pub as we like them: buried under geranium pots outside and dark as possible inside. And well located in addition, right next to Covent Garden.

An ambassador of rock culture in London for over 40 years, the Hard Rock Cafe London is an attractive space that needs no introduction. The restaurant offers a good American cuisine with of course the great classics like the hamburger. You can also discover the most precious pieces of rock'n'roll history; Eric Clapton's red Fender guitar, Elvis Presley's red coat with fur cape and Madonna's expired bank card from the 1980s. An experience we recommend.

A large red brick facade just in front of Camden Underground station, and you can almost walk past it without knowing that it is probably the largest pub in London. It is better to meet outside than inside, because with its pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, it attracts people. Inside, a labyrinth of several rooms that follow one another. In the basement is the Underworld Club, which hosts many punk, metal and rock concerts and clubbing evenings almost every night.

The facade entirely covered with flowers (photographed by all tourists) already predicts a certain tendency to accumulate. The inside confirms our assumptions. We enter a place where the owners devote a true cult to objects. While those dedicated to Winston Churchill are omnipresent, others, more original or crazy, hang out here and there, from the chamber pot to the golf bag. This is what gives this pub its charm, particularly well located, along the Portobello market which serves good beers. A welcome stopover.

A very nice traditional pub very close to Piccadilly Circus on two levels. Attended by both gay and other people, including clients from the surrounding theatres.

This time, you will definitely leave the beer aside and come to this beautiful wine bar to taste this delicious nectar, sheltered in a beautiful vaulted cellar and only lit by candlelight. The result is unique and you enter a historic place, because it is the oldest wine bar in London - established in 1890 - that has seen many celebrities pass through. The bar is still a family business, run by the Gordon family since 1890. You have a good time and taste very good wines, which is rare in London.

A unique experience is offered in this bar made entirely of ice, where the temperature is minus 5°C. The ice comes from Sweden, and the design is completely redesigned every year. Discounts on weekends. Admission includes a Thermolactyl cape to keep out the cold, and a choice of vodka-based cocktail or soft drink. It's an experience worth trying out, especially for vodka lovers, since, as you'll have gathered, in this world of ice, this equally transparent liquid takes pride of place. Don't forget to book!

This old pub, located in a small passage at the end of The Mall, has something very Dickensian about it. Normally, it would be the second pub to have the oldest beer licence in London and has therefore been located there for several centuries now, so it is an institution in the area. The interior is not very large, dark enough, and yet the surroundings are warm and cosy. As is often the case in English pubs. That's why we love them so much. It is well placed, next to Green Park.

A real traditional pub dating back to the Victorian era. The Royal Oak has rediscovered its splendour. It offers an excellent selection of beers and real pub food, good and unpretentious.

If the place used to be used to house Napoleon's officers when the latter wanted to invade England, it is worth noting that, the plan having failed, the English have not been, and have appreciated the conversion in pub to the elegantly flowery facade. Located near a beautiful Edwardian square, the places are often full and the few tables outside are never enough to satisfy the many clients. From the Napoleonic era, the place only kept a portrait of the emperor and his attachment to France a beautiful wine card to choose from glass or bottle with nearly a dozen varieties for each color.