Being a bit of a vintage aficionado, I love to dress up and go out for drinks in vintage bars. Sitting in a vintage bar makes me feel nostalgic for a time long-past and really sparks my imagination. Especially if there's a bit of Billie Holiday playing in the background! This is a guide to the best vintage bars in London that I've tried, tested and often been totalled at during my four years of living in Oxford.
The memories I've got of nights dancing in this place are unparalleled. Down a flight of stairs in a Hoxton basement, The Nightjar usually have a live jazz or swing band on their little stage in the middle of the bar, and the Nightjar itself exudes vintage glamour with its 1940s décor and cosy, intimate seating. They serve genuine prohibition-inspired cocktails, which are really impressive, especially when they arrive at your table still flaming! It's clear that the owners are genuine vintage-lovers as the attention to detail is impeccable.
Possibly the most genuine speakeasy in the UK, 69 Colebrooke Row has no sign, no name and nothing to tell you it actually exists, bar a small lantern hanging outside. Going into this bar makes you feel really furtive, like you're genuinely back in the 1930s and hiding out from the police. Inside, the bar is tiny, with only a handful of tables and if you're a cocktail-lover, 69 Colebrooke Row has exclusive cocktails and a cocktail masterclass you can book to learn how to mix the old-fashioned way. Perfect for an unusual vintage-theme hen night or birthday!
Behind an inconspicuous little door in Deptford lies Nan's Living Room. A quirky tribute to granny-chic, this bar will give you the feeling of having an illicit party in your grandma's living room, with cocktails that come served in a teapot with a teacup, which serves four at the bargain price (for London) of just £12. Truly a genius little place, make sure you visit this unique little bar on your next trip to London.
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