So you're out enjoying a couple of drinks or perhaps a quick sip after work and your stomach starts to rumble... we've all been there. Then you begin to notice every plate that passes you bringing with it an invigorating scent (usually deep-fried) that travels directly from your nose to your stomach until the rumbling hits a 7 on the Richter scale. It's not just nuts and crisps these days; here's our favourite places for serious bar snacks in London.
Last edited by Lauren Cole
Last updated on 16th October 2024
The beautiful and eccentric Callooh Callay is one of London's hottest cocktail bars. With seriously scrumptious cocktails designed to tantalise the taste buds, you'll probably need something to soak up that alcohol. Cue the snack menu, which may be small but offers some of the best bites around.
Get ready to cosy up to some down-home Southern grub and drinks, served with a side of genuine Southern charm right in the heart of Haymarket at Americana. They've whipped up some signature cocktails that nod to the cocktail culture in the Deep South but with a twist of West End flair thrown in for good measure. Their ever-evolving wine list is a treasure trove of gems, featuring hard-to-find small-batch wines from revered producers like Orin Swift in Napa and Nathan Kendall in upstate New York.
Taking your idea of bar snacks to the next level, The Saxon will have you swooning over its menu of enticing small plates. Head to the Clapham restaurant bar for the chance to indulge in gin cured salmon, prawn pil pil, popcorn chicken and plenty more.
Craving some bar snacks with a difference? Then head on over to Nobu Bar & Terrace at Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch. This Asian-inspired restaurant is whipping up tasty plates, from the likes of umami chicken wings to black cod harumaki with a spicy ponzu dip. Yum.
Making bar snacks luxurious is the team over at Searcys Champagne Bar At Battersea Power Station, where you can drink and nibble on the first floor of Turbine Hall A inside the famous landmark. Tuck into a caviar sharing experience, Mediterranean-inspired mezze and antipasti, and British cheese and charcuterie boards - accompanying everything from vintage Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé Champagne to fizz-led cocktails and warming Puglian reds.
With an additional location in Coal Drops Yard and Adelaide Street, Barrafina in London Bridge is a top-notch restaurant slinging out Spanish nibbles and cocktails. While getting stuck in a tipple of sherry, enjoy almonds, cheese, cured meats and marinated olives.
If you're on the hunt for fabulous watering holes in Southwark, look no further than The Lounge Bar. The venue also knows a thing or two about scrumptious snacks - think everything from nachos to truffle fries and calamari.
If you're feeling like chowing down on some of the best European-inspired grazing boards, Maltby Street Wine House is the venue for you. Located in the heart of London Bridge, this suave watering hole has a boatload of bites, from charcuterie boards to bruschetta and olives.
Searcys Brasserie and Champagne Bar can be found above St Pancras station, providing a relaxing retreat from the floor below. Expect stylish interiors and buttons on the tables that you can press for bubbles - as well as the longest Champagne bar in Europe.
They've got an extensive menu of bar snacks here, as well as larger plates. Whether you're after a charcuterie board to share, Exmoor Cornish caviar or small plates like salt and pepper squid, you can enjoy these tasty bites with some of the finest fizz around.
cocktail bar Swift Shoreditch are serving up a tasty range of bar snacks to accompany their signature sips. Pick from toasted sourdough with butter bean hummus, whipped goats cheese and olive tapenade or a thee cheese toastie as you sink some heady concotions.
Italian bar snacks, anyone? If you're after a light bite to wash down your vino, then yapix Coffee And Wine House in Canning Town is the place to head. Think bruschetta, sharing boards and Italian toasted sandwiches, finished off by tiramisu.
Looking for somewhere to grab a drink and a bite to eat after work? City dwellers, this charming pub is the place for you. As well as serving a curated selection of drinks from the bar, The Lamb & Trotter offers lip-smacking snacks like honey mustard sausage bites and hand-raised pork pie.
Blue Bar At The Berklery is not only a sophisticated drinking haunt tucked away in the heart of Knightsbridge, but also a fantastic spot to enjoy decadent small plates with a cocktail in hand. Take a seat in one of the moody, modern rooms designed by David Collins and tuck into churros with shaved Manchego cheese and truffle, Carlingford oysters plus yellowfin tuna tartare cones.
When it comes to bar snacks in Covent Garden, Cecilia's Wine House is pulling out all the stops. Venture inside, where you'll be able to grab a cosy table (or, perhaps admire the epic booze offering), all while delving into top-notch quaffs, caviar and charcuterie platters.
The King of Ladies Man is a sister venue to The Breakfast Club in Shoreditch, however, this secret hideaway is set in the style of a 70's bachelor pad. Enter the secret entrance (through a laundrette) and tuck into retro bar snacks like pulled pork sliders and mac & cheese pots.
For some of the best bar snacks in London, get your munch on at Amelie's Wine House. We're talking everything from roasted cashews and green olives to cured meats and grazing boards. Pair with a gorgeous glass of wine.
Searching for a quick little spot for a few drinks? Aspen & Meursault is a must for wine lovers with their extensive list. Not only do they have pretty plants and seating, but they bring delicious bar snacks such as boozy cheeses, baked Camembert and spicy chorizo bites.
Serving American bar snacks, including Chicago meatballs, Kentucky chicken tenders and a trio of tacos, Evans & Peel Detective agency is a cool Prohibition-style speakeasy in Earl's Court. Head behind a hidden door and descend into a drinking den of live jazz, with cocktails whipped up from bootlegged liquor.
For a quick little trip in London, Pinch is the perfect place for a few light bites and a couple of tipples. Enjoy house-made vodka concoctions alongside charcuterie boards, padron peppers and amazing halloumi fries.
With a bar snack selection that's been carefully created by eight Michelin-starred chef, Quique Dacosta, Albufera Bar is a firm choice when it comes to nibbles in Central London. Our favourite? The marinated pork bao served with cabbage.
Nestled by a lively street market, The Clerkenwell Tavern has been a Farringdon mainstay since 1876 — and it's no wonder, thanks to its top-notch sandwiches served alongside a selection of natural & organic wines and craft beers. The Reuben is a real winner, boasting house-brined salt beef, Swiss cheese, pickles, zesty slaw, and Russian dressing.
Situated near Bank Station, The Libertine is a great shout for sumptuous bar snacks. Tuck into everything from aubergine crisps to curried cauliflower bites and fresh market oysters. Pair your nibbles with a few cocktails or a glass of wine.
Franklin's Wine in Notting Hill really knows a thing or two when it comes to complementing their epic booze selection. Sip on wine and cocktails with their fabulous range of flavour-packed cheese and charcuterie boards.
You'll find some of the tastiest bar snacks around at BAM Karaoke Box. Spanning 10,000 square feet, it's Europe's largest venue of its kind, boasting 22 individually designed rooms and two cocktail bars. Its decor is eclectic, with leopard print seats, chandeliers and oil paintings brushed with bright pink lettering. Enjoy tasty bites to eat delivered straight, courtesy of consultant culinary director and renowned chef Sabrina Gidda, to your room. Think European cuisine and classic French dishes with a twist.
Want to wash your bar snacks down with tropical cocktails? The Palm House is just the place for that, thanks to a gorgeous menu and even more stunning surrounds. Think tacos, nachos, beef brisket quesadillas and sweetcorn fritters, swoon.
Slinging out smoked almonds, croquettes, and yummy charcuterie spreads, 28°-50° have some of the finest bar snacks around. With locations dotted all throughout London, stop inside for a few bites and a few glasses of vino.
To go with your cocktails, quirky G&Ts or craft beers from Jim & Tonic at The Print House? A range of mouthwatering Italian nibbles. Not only can you delve into scrumptious pizzas, but also a load of small plates, from burrata with spring tomatoes to sweet potato fritters.
The Opium Dim Sum & Cocktail parlour in Leicester Square is an elaborately chic London bar with a penchant for things to pick on, in this case delicious bar snacks in London. Escape the bustle of ground level Chinatown and escape to this hidden location for refreshing cocktails with a punch of pedigree behind them and you can probably guess what kind of bar snacks to expect, what you probably won't guess is just how tasty they are!
Joining forces with Tā Tā Eatery, famed bartenders Alex Kratena and Monica Berg have forged quite the foodie-come-cocktail emporium. There's the infamous frozen coffee and Nordic old fashioneds, but we all know what you really want... that naughty katsu sando.
Three Eight Four don't only serve delicious cocktails, their food offerings are equally as impressive. Munch on small plates such as aranchini, chilli and garlic squid and beef brisket as you catch up with long-lost friends in this gorgeous hangout spot.
Nestled in the heart of Crouch End, Little Mercies is a real north London gem. Whether you're chowing down on beef crumpets and ox cheek pastrami, make sure you wash it all down with a Delicious Sour or an updated take on the pornstar martini.
While Hacha may be famed for its tasty and translucent Mirror Margarita, the Dalston bar serves up a food menu that's just as good. With Conga London currently occupying the kitchen, expect a punchy spread of ceviche, tacos and tequila.
