England - Eight Trips Later, London Still Surprises Me

From Mayfair to Shoreditch, these are the bars that have shaped my London nights over the past decade.

After more than ten years and at least eight trips to London, you'd think the city would start feeling predictable. Some visits lasted just two weeks, while others stretched to six, giving me plenty of time to explore beyond the obvious sights. Yet London has a habit of proving me wrong. No matter how much time I spend there, there always seems to be another neighbourhood to discover, another late-night conversation to stumble into, or another excellent bar tucked away where I least expect it.

In many ways, that's become part of the ritual. I return to old favourites, but I also know the city will surprise me somewhere along the way.

These are the bars I keep going back to:

Kwant Mayfair

The Donovan Bar

Bar Termini

A Bar with Shapes for a Name

Oriole

Coupette

Three Sheets Soho

Satan's Whiskers

Beaufort Bar

DUKES Bar

Lyaness

Nightjar

Swift Soho

Tayer + Elementary

Artesian

Scarfes Bar

Happiness Forgets

The Connaught Bar

Sexy Fish Mayfair

What I enjoy most about London's bar scene is the variety. No two places feel quite the same, yet each reflects a different side of the city. Even after all these years, I still find myself adding new spots to the list, which is probably the best reason to keep coming back.