In London, drinking is an art form, and we’re all made to feel like amateur artists. The bar scene here isn’t just big – it’s sprawling, majestic, and really quite unlike anywhere else. Every week brings a new opening, and postcodes stack up like an unfinished menu.

It’s a good problem to have if you live here – we’re not complaining! But if you want to see the city’s cocktail culture in one go, it turns into a map of N1 to SE1 and a night spent pressed into the Central line or dropping a week’s wages on Ubers.

For the past decade, Cocktails in the City has taken London’s endless cocktail choice and dropped it into one square of Bloomsbury. From 7–9 August 2025, Bedford Square Gardens will host the festival’s tenth anniversary, turning a Georgian garden into a live snapshot of the capital’s drinking culture. For three nights, the question of “where to go?” finally has a single answer.

A decade of Cocktails in the City

Since it first opened its gates, Cocktails in the City has brought together more than 300 bars and over 100,000 people who want to see what London is really drinking. Ten years on, the picture has shifted. The city’s bar culture is now more global in its ideas, braver in its flavour and more interested in craft than excess.

We, as consumers, have changed too. We want to explore regional flavours, we care about sustainability, and we wince at a menu that skips low or non-alcoholic options.

This year’s line-up reflects how the drinking culture has changed, particularly when it comes to breadth and depth. Consider a trip from London to India, which sees Sidecar New Delhi and Dishoom’s Permit Room creating cocktails built on layered spice and aromatics, while The Spirit of Mexico brings Mezcalito and Café Pacifico exploring agave in all its forms.

What’s different in 2025

This year’s edition is the most ambitious yet, with over 20 of London’s leading bars condensed into one space. The new Bartender’s Edit is the headline feature: a small, curated list of drinks chosen by some of the city’s most respected names behind the bar.

It’s an insider look at the serves defining London right now, the drinks you’d usually need weeks of bar-hopping (and insider tips) to find.

Sustainability takes a stronger focus with Local Luxury. Here, bars like Artesian, The Savoy’s Gallery Bar and Raffles’ Guards Bar bring high-end craft and low-impact ingredients into the same glass, showing how London’s top venues are rethinking indulgence.

The international stands push the festival beyond a city showcase. Expect, among others:

• The Spirit of Mexico celebrating agave culture with riffs on margaritas and palomas from Mezcalito, Café Pacifico and 1910 Cantina.
• London to India introducing Sidecar New Delhi and Dishoom’s Permit Room, bringing the heat with spicy cocktails.
• The French Connection linking Coupette, Bar Américain and boutique French producers, exploring the elegance and restraint of France’s distilling craft.

Inside the festival

Over the weekend, more than 5,000 visitors are expected to pass through the gates and soak in the sun (and the booze) at Bedford Square Gardens, in Bloomsbury (right next to the British Museum)

The drinks programme runs alongside a full line-up of live music each night and a DJ-led silent disco after dark. Cocktail masterclasses give guests a chance to step behind the bar and learn technique from industry pros. There are also workshops like ice-carving available for those that simply can’t get that cocktail shake right (we’ll be in that group).

Oh, and there’s plenty of food on offer too. Officina 00 serves fresh pasta, Sticks and Sushi handles lighter plates, and Get the Greek leans into the comforting Greek dishes we all love.

Get your tickets

As you would expect from a small, exclusive festival, entry isn’t open to all. So, if you want to become a cocktail connoisseur over the weekend, get your tickets on the official website. Tickets cost £22  per person and include a welcome cocktail, live music and silent disco (plus access to all festival areas). Book your tickets here

• Location: Bedford Square Gardens, London WC1B 3ES
• Date: 7–9 August 2025
• Tickets: £22 – entry, first cocktail, live music & full access
• Website: cocktailsinthecity.com

See also Swingers’ new strawberry lemonade terrace, and the new Whispering Angel rooftop in Stratford. Or, If you’re planning to stay home, some of the best tequila bottles for at-home drinks.