London is world famous for its bar scene, so to win here - in the CBA's Best Bar in London & the Southeast (sponsored by The Busker) category - is big. With a final four of award-winning bars from some of the biggest names in the business, the reliably brilliant Satan's Whiskers won out.
London Satan’s Whiskers is the bar recommender’s banker – that place you just know will hit the mark, no matter the time of day or day of the week. You know that because this place has been consistently impeccable for 10 years.
Owner Kevin Armstrong’s focus has never been the bright lights of thematic drinking, it has always been about the mastering of the three pillars of the bar experience: drinks, service and atmosphere.
So, expect the classic cocktails to be meticulously thought through and the signatures to be fresh and seasonal – all served with good ice and elegant glassware.
The service style is that nice balance of attentive but not obsequious, and the vibe, through the perfectly pitched lighting, the classic hip hop soundtrack and the gentle chatter of guests, almost feels choreographed.
And that’s why this is one of the few places in London to which bartenders flock. Satan's makes the delivery of the basics an art form.
Finalists: Seed Library, One Hundred Shoreditch, London; Swift, London; Tayēr + Elementary, London