Bourne & Hollingsworth Bar

Bourne & Hollingsworth Bar | Fitzrovia Cocktail Den

‘A small and perfectly formed cocktail bar situated in the heart of Fitzrovia’.

Thus Bourne and Hollingsworth is described… by its owner.

But hey: if you don’t back yourself then no-one will.

Bourne and Hollingsworth – a quirky basement cocktail bar in Fitzrovia – combines Impressionist murals, mismatched chairs, and decadent banquette seating to create the unique and unusual sensation of getting lightly sozzled in the National Gallery. You might recognise the name from their sister venue, Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings in Clerkenwell – unless you’re a high society Victorian lady, in which case you’d recognise it from the plush department store that once stood around the corner from this very spot.

It’s perched on Rathbone Place, making B&H bar the perfect nightcap spot after dining at one of the many excellent restaurants on Charlotte Street. Descend a staircase leading directly from the street, and if you discover a pair of painted turn-of-the-century ladies glaring at you, you’re in the right place.

The cocktail menu at Bourne & Hollingsworth is eccentric and imaginative, with drinks like the Time for a Cuppa (with Earl Grey-infused gin, ginger wine and gingerbread syrup) and the Campfire Cup (a frothy mug of orange, peach, Spanish liqueur and toasted marshmallows) packing a particular punch. At under a tenner, they’re some of the best value cocktails in central London, too.

Bourne & Hollingsworth is a genuine Fitzrovia gem, and – like its sibling around the corner, Rev JW Simpson – is definitely worth visiting regularly.

Just like the National Gallery.

NOTE: They’re not kidding about the ‘small’ thing; you can, and absolutely should, reserve a table on their website before going.

Bourne and Hollingsworth Bar | 28 Rathbone Place, W1T 1JF

Like cocktails? Check out our guide to the best bars in Central London.