London Nightlife Tips by toonsarah

In Bar Polski

Nightlife Spot: Bar Polski

This is a favourite spot of ours, and also a popular after-work haunt for me and my colleagues. It's tucked away in a side alley behind Holborn Station but worth searching out, especially if you like vodka - the drinks list has a whole (large) side devoted just to the huge number of varieties served here (over 60). My favourites are the dry lemon and orange flavoured ones (the latter goes well with cranberry juice if you want a long drink) and the sweeter and strangely turquoise-coloured raspberry. There's also a good range of Polish beers (my friend Andy recommends the Zywiec). Polish food is served too but I've not yet got round to sampling that, though it looks tasty.

The bar is an unusual trangular shape, with an interesting mix of traditonal folk murals (see photo) and modern furniture, and there are a few tables outside for warmer evenings. Service is friendly - even more so if like our friend Pete you can speak a few words of Polish.

Highly recommended!

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Phone: 020 7831 9679
Address: 11 Little Turnstile, WC1V 7DX
Directions: Nearest tube is Holborn (Piccadilly & Central lines). From here, turn left, take the first left down pedestrianised Gate Street, left again and it will be on your right.

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Traffic: After work drinks

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Written by toonsarah

on Sep 30, 2007

My round :) [thanks to David P for

photo]

Nightlife Spot: Traffic

When a new bar opens on the ground floor of the block housing your office, you really have to try it, don't you? And for after work drinks, Traffic doesn't disappoint. There's a happy hour from 5.00-7.00 PM, and outside these hours a business card from any of the Victoria House companies will get you a 10% discount :) There's a wide range of cocktails available and a good wine list. The downside for my beer-drinking colleagues is that there are no draft beers, never mind real ales - it's strictly by the bottle here I'm afraid, which is fine if you like lager but not if you're looking for bitter.

The atmosphere is buzzing without being too loud, and staff are friendly and helpful. When we went recently in a group that started small but just kept growing they were quick to rearrange tables and bring extra chairs, for instance. There are a few tables and chairs outside for smokers but this is a busy junction and the traffic fumes mean that this wouldn't be my first choice for outside drinking.

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Phone: 020 7405 0525
Address: Vernon Place, London WC1A 2EP
Directions: Left turning off Southampton Row a few minutes walk north of Holborn tube (Central & Piccadilly lines)

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Two Floors: In the know

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Written by toonsarah

on Oct 25, 2007

Chris in Two Floors

Nightlife Spot: Two Floors

If you fancy visiting this bar after reading my description you'll have to go looking for it by its address or my photo - you won't find it with a helpful sign above the door telling you its name, or even that it's a bar. People who come here do so because they've heard about it from friends or from reviews like this. But if that makes it sound a bit snobbish or snooty, it's far from it. We recently enjoyed relaxing here in the early evening limbo between shopping and eating. The welcome was low key and friendly, the background music good but not obtrusive, the decor funky in a deceptive "been here for years, bit faded now" fashion. Chris had a Red Stripe and I chose a very good Rioja, although I was very tempted by the good cocktail list and will be back to try some I'm sure!

The location near Carnaby Street and Oxford Circus makes this particularly good for that post-shopping slump, but later in the evening it would make a great alternative to the traditional pubs or scarily trendy bars that are the usual options in this area.

Rather bizarrely, the basement has a tropical island themed bar - I preferred the warm colours and eclectic furnishings upstairs and am not quite sure why they felt they had to do anything different down here!

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: It's pretty laid back here - I imagine that as long as you are dressed you'll be OK ;)
Phone: 0871 332 2545
Address: 3 Kingly Street, W1B 5PD
Directions: Kingly Street runs parallel to, and west of, Carnaby Street. Nearest tube: Oxford Circus (Central, Bakerloo & Victoria lines) and Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines)

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Truckles Wine Bar: Great for summer drinking

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Updated by toonsarah

on Jun 8, 2008

Jo, Maria & Ingrid at Truckles

Nightlife Spot: Truckles Wine Bar

Let me say first that this is not a great choice for beer drinkers, as you're restricted largely to bottled beer and not a wide selection of that. But if like me you enjoy a glass (or several!) of wine, then I would certainly recommend Truckles, especially for early evening drinking on a hot summer's day. The reason? There's a large courtyard, completely enclosed by attractive (largely) buildings, and therefore cut off from traffic fumes and noise. To sit here after work with a group of amenable colleagues and a couple of bottles of wine on the table is a very pleasant way in which to unwind. Add a bowl of tasty olives, and maybe some Mediterranean dips, and you could easily while away several hours - as I and my colleagues have done on occasion ;)

In winter the interior is a better choice (unless you're a smoker) and it's pleasant enough there, especially if you can bag one of the squishy leather sofas, but it is in the summer that Truckles really comes into its own in my view.

The wine list is extensive, and spans a wide price range. And although I've written this as a "nightlife" tip, this is also a decent lunch spot, with tasty sandwiches and some more substantial offerings.

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: As it attracts a mainly business crowd, most people are fairly smartly dressed.
Phone: 0871 2236139
Address: Pied Bull Yard, London, WC1A
Directions: Not easy to find - look for a small alley off the western side of Bloomsbury Square, or eastern side of Bury Place. Nearest tube Holborn (Piccadilly and Central lines)

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The Ten Bells: Haunt of Jack the Ripper

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Written by toonsarah

on May 10, 2008

Tiled wall, Ten Bells

by toonsarah , 1 more photos

Nightlife Spot: The Ten Bells

This historic pub (mid-18th century) near Spittalfields Market somewhat luridly bills itself as �Jack the Ripper�s local� and is closely associated with him. Its interior, with its walls of ornate tiles (including a magnificent tiled wall panel depicting the days when this area was countryside outside the City of London) has hardly changed since his time. It is thought that the Ripper would have met at least one of his victims here � possibly Annie Chapman who was working as a prostitute in the area during the early hours of 8 September 1888 and was known to be drinking in the Ten Bells about 5am. Or perhaps Mary Kelly, his final victim, who left the pub in the early hours of November 9th 1888, and whose body was discovered the next morning at her lodgings in Dorset Street on the opposite side of the road from the Ten Bells, her internal organs removed and hung around the room.

The pub therefore features on the various (and very popular) Ripper walking tours, but also makes an interesting stop for a drink in its own right if you find yourself in this area, perhaps before or after a curry in Brick Lane. The bar consists of just one room, furnished with a motley selection of chairs, tables and sofas. There�s a reasonable selection of draught and bottled beers, and a fairly young and trendy crowd mix with a few slightly seedy local characters.

The website below has a more detailed history of the pub.

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: Pretty much anything goes here, I would think!
Address: 84 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LY
Directions: One block east of Liverpool St Station (mainline trains, Central, Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City tube lines)
Website: http://www.casebook.org/victorian_london/tenbells.html

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Camino: Tapas bar near Kings Cross

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Written by toonsarah

on Jul 25, 2008

Courtyard at Camino

Nightlife Spot: Camino

This is a relatively new (opened summer 2007) Tapas bar and Spanish restaurant. Its location, in a part of town that is gradually being revitalised after a long period of seediness (even notoriety), is a little hard to find, but it�s worth tracking down. Our first visit here was for a Trusted Places event, but we�ve been back since and liked the bar food and atmosphere both times (although we haven�t yet tried the restaurant).

The large courtyard contributed to the continental �outdoor living� mood on both our (summer) visits, and ensures smokers have somewhere to drink too. Inside the d�cor is quite modern and funky, with one large wall given over to a colourful collage of images of Spain. The drinks menu includes, of course, a wide range of wines from Spain (great rioja, one of my favourites!) as well as beer - try the draught Cruzcampo served in ice-cold glasses. There are cocktails too of course - I�ve had an excellent caipirinha here in the past, and an OK mojito.

Tapas include a really good jamon iberico and Manchego cheese, and Chris and I also enjoyed the chorizo and the squid on a recent visit, but the tortilla was a little disappointing. Chris has recently eaten in the restaurant here and tells me the food was excellent but I've yet to try it myself.

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: Smart casual is probably about right, but you'll find quite a mix of styles and degrees of smartness!
Phone: 020 7841 7331
Address: 3 Varnishers Yard, Regent Quarter, N1 9NR
Directions: Nearest station is King's Cross St Pancras, with numerous tube lines and mainline services. Turn left at the front of the station, cross the road at traffic lights, walk ahead about 20 metres and look for the entrance to the courtyard

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Shakespeare�s Globe Theatre: Theatre with a difference

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Written by toonsarah

on Jul 25, 2008

Musicians before the play starts

by toonsarah , 3 more photos