The American Bar at The Savoy

The American Bar at The Savoy hotel is a true piece of bartending history. The legendary establishment has been around for more than 125 years and is the longest surviving cocktail bar in London.

Its fame extends around the world, however, as not only has it been visited by Marilyn Monroe, Ernest Hemingway, Marlene Dietrich, Winston Churchill and numerous other famous faces through the decades, it is where famed prohibition-era bartender Harry Craddock developed classic cocktails such as the White Lady and the Corpse Reviver. His recipes are enshrined in The Savoy Cocktail Book, still in print almost 100 years later.

Today, The American Bar remains an icon of the city’s cocktail scene. The Art Deco setting features white walls covered in black-and-white photos, dark wood trimmings and a polished countertop. The bartenders serve both reinvented classics and new creations, maintaining the bar’s long-lasting reputation as one of the premier drinking establishments in the world, as regularly reaffirmed by the industry awards and high placements on lists of the best bars in the world. The prices do reflect its renown, of course, though they’re far from outrageous, and there’s a live jazz pianist every night. Get there early to avoid waiting to get in, though the Museum Bar next door helps pass the time with pre-drinks.