Best Fulham Bars

‘Specialists in blackmail, missing persons and armed personal protection’, fantasy detectives Evans & Peel use this discreet agency front to keep their cocktail bar clandestine. Patrons must make an appointment and present their ‘case’ in the office on arrival, before a sleuth in period costume decides if they’re to be allowed into the atmospheric speakeasy that hides behind the bookshelf. This kind of role play isn’t to everyone’s taste, but we’d challenge anyone to say a bad word about the agency’s inventive take on classic drinks. Our current favourites are the Clover Breakfast Club (Hendrick's gin, English breakfast tea, raspberry jam, lime, cucumber, clarified milk and Teapot bitters) and the Islayllujah, which sees Bulleit bourbon and 16-year-old Lagavulin whisky stirred with bitters, salt and yuzu essence in a twist on the Sazerac theme. There are decent bar snacks too – try the Dr Pepper pulled beef in waffles.

Fulham Road regulars seem to have a soft spot for Swedish-born Fredrik Olsson’s bijou bar & club, extolling the virtues of its ever-so-cute staff, perfect watermelon martinis & homemade popcorn. Simple black banquettes & moody lighting set the tone, & the likes of a Chivas crush (Chivas Regal 12 Year Old with crushed mint leaves, apple, lemon juice & ginger beer) won’t break the bank. Meanwhile, a pithy menu of Asian food offers up passable dim sum – gyoza pork dumplings or tempura vegetables, for instance. If you’re planning to drop in for a pre-club warm-up, the upstairs bar comes to life at the weekend; alternatively, head downstairs to the petite dance floor & burn off the booze with a smooth mix of Motown, hip-hop, dance & R&B.

‘What a place!' declares one reader who popped in to buy a quick bottle of wine, but ended up browsing and sipping at Vagabond for two hours. In fact, praise for this ‘superior' wine shop-cum-bar never falters, with another delighted customer declaring it the ‘cheapest place to drink wine and relax in Fulham Broadway'. The concept is simple – top up an Oyster-style card with credit, and glug your way around the 100-bin, wall-to-wall racks (all stored under airtight Enomatic conditions). Everything up to a 2000 St Emilion Grand Cru is available to sample, with tasters starting at 50p and 125ml glasses from £3.50. Staff are ‘incredibly well-educated' and ‘know their wines inside out', while cheese and charcuterie boards are available to soak up the vino.