Eating, and drinking, out is becoming more expensive everywhere, with the cost of living crisis seeing prices soar across the board. It's no surprise that your bill might be a few quid more than it was a couple of years ago, but when it comes to the cost of London's cocktails, some of them really do take the biscuit.
In fact, a recent viral TikTok showed a tourist who was left with an overwhelming bill after accidently ordering a cocktail that cost £1,890. Describing the ordeal as 'a genuine mistake,' Lynsey Bennett, who shared the story with her followers on TikTok, was visiting the city from Ireland when she decided to order a drink at her hotel bar.
She thought the drink was £18.90, not realising the bill she had racked up with her pricey choice of drink. The cocktail contained Cristal Champagne, gold leaf and 30-year-old Cognac.
The hotel was left unnamed, but that's not the only bar in the city serving up four-figure drinks. Read on for some of the most expensive cocktails in London right now.
The Donovan Bar at Brown's Hotel, Mayfair
The Donovan Bar boasts a cocktail going for £5,500 - yes, you read that right. Salvatore's Legacy, named after the mixology 'maestro' Salvatore Calabrese, contains original ingredients from Salvatore's vintage spirit collection including 1788 Clos de Griffier cognac and 1770 Kummel liqueur. Punters can choose from a wide selection of cocktails available for £200+, so be sure to check the prices before ordering from its vintage cocktail menu.
Book now: The Donovan Bar
The Connaught Bar at The Connaught, Mayfair
Another of Mayfair's finests, The Connaught Bar has created a cocktail in celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Sidecar. This one will set you back £1,410, combining Adet 1893 cognac, Cointreau and fresh lemon juice. If you happened to be about for the Platinum Jubilee, you may have seen its Silver Jubilee Rob Roy going for a pretty steep £2,200, which used a combination of ingredients that were created during the Silver Jubilee.
Book now: The Connaught Bar
The Rivoli Bar at The Ritz, St. James's
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You'd never expect an evening at The Ritz to be cheap, but does it have to be this expensive? The Sazerac cocktail at The Rivoli Bar goes for £500, containing Louis XIII cognac, gold leaf sugar cube, Peychaud's bitters and vintage absinthe.
Book now: The Ritz
The Guards Bar & Lounge at Raffles, Whitehall
This is another one to watch out for, with two of its cocktails clocking in at a staggering £750. The Affinity cocktail contains Dewar's White Label Scotch whisky and Cizano Amaro Savoia bitter liqueur. Whereas 'The Green Point' - described as a more herbaceous version of a Manhattan - contains 18 year old Sazerac Rye and Cinzano Antica vermouth. We shouldn't be surprised by the price of these cocktails though when there's speciality bottles of Macallan available on the menu for £10,000!
Book now: The Guards Bar & Lounge
The Pine Bar at The Biltmore, Mayfair
Listen, we love a Manhattan as much as the next person, but The Pine Bar's Biltmore Rye Manhattan 1960’s goes for a whopping £450. Surrounded in the sleek and stylish confines of this bar, it’s probably not surprising that its vintage cocktail menu starts from £75 but this one takes the cake with a combination of just two ingredients - Biltomore Rye 1920’s and Cinzano Vermouth 1960’s. It might be the cheapest option on the list, but a couple of these would quickly rack up a hefty bill.
Book now: The Biltmore
Rather not risk an extortionate bill?? We've rounded up some of the best pubs in London that you can try instead.