Cocktail Hour…bars to sip slow at
Hey there cocktail enthusiasts, it’s time to shake things up in Croydon! From chic and sophisticated to quirky and vibrant, Croydon has a variety of cocktail bars guaranteed to tickle your taste buds and quench your thirst.
Those who came of (almost legal drinking) age when Sex and The City first hit TV screens, may also recall aspirations to upgrade their alcopops on park benches to Cosmopolitans in skyline bars. Whilst most Millennial’s university years were more Bacardi Breezers than Bellinis, graduates soon swapped Malibu for Martini (then quickly swapped back again due to taste buds that were accustomed to a much higher sugar content).
Thankfully, cocktails have improved as much as our palettes have since then and whilst Croydon’s bar scene can’t quite rival that of Manhattan (!), it offers plenty of options for those looking to branch out from their usual glass of vino.
Memory Box
Located underneath the Croydon Flyover, the derogative “Bridge and Tunnel” term used to describe New Yorkers that commute into Manhattan is somewhat apt here.
But such negativity stops at the door, with the bright pink interior and neon lights soon shaking off any bad vibes.
It’s worth studiously studying the 12-page cocktail list, which offers all the classics alongside quirkier options (including a whole range dedicated to rum infused Tiki drinks).
The extended 5pm to 9pm Happy Hour (with 2-4-1 on drinks) will help give you a pretty decent understanding of the menu – with a highlight being The Pornstar Tree (which delicately balances 12 Martini glasses within its branches).
Whilst Bottomless Brunches at the weekend always prove popular, it’s the Wednesday night karaoke that see’s singers take over the dancefloor.
Surrounded by the dulcet tones of Alicia Keys (and several Cosmos in), you’ll soon find yourself transported to the “concrete jungle where dreams are made of”.
Fern
The newest kid on the cocktail block, Fern is an all-day venue in the world’s (second) tallest modular building.
Whilst some locals might still long for a skyline bar, Fern is everything a rooftop hot spot could be (just a few floors lower!).
The bar area overlooks the restaurant with windows facing out towards a growing number of surrounding skyscrapers.
Sat on a comfy, leather clad bar stool by the stunning arched mirrored bar (complete with antique brass bar top), the space could give any Manhattan bar a run for its money (in fact, the design scheme was based on one of them).
Channel your most sophisticated self (amongst other grown-ups who are as equally delighted by Fern’s no-child policy), order one of their signature Smoky Paloma’s and get led astray by The Lost Explorer Mezcal it contains.
100a George St, Croydon CR0 1GP
Slug & Lettuce
The first Slug & Lettuce bar was founded by Hugh Corbett in 1985 in Islington, with the aim of creating a more modern and welcoming alternative to the traditional British pub. The brand quickly gained traction thanks to its contemporary design and broad appeal to both men and women.
Affectionately known as “The Slug,” it became the height of chic for those coming of age in the late noughties. Who needed pints in a sweaty student union when you could sip 2-for-1 Woo Woos from a stylish glass?
Fast-forward to 2025, and those same partygoers might feel a little sobered by news of the chain’s upcoming milestone birthday. Slug & Lettuce is turning 40 – and they’re not letting it pass quietly. Their WTF (“We’re Turning Forty”) screams ‘millennial clinging on for dear life’, and honestly, we’re here for it.
The cocktail menu has been given a nostalgic twist, and a big birthday brunch promises the vibes that made The Slug a noughties social life staple. Time flies when you’re having fun – get yourself to Slug & Lettuce and relive the magic.
Trickle
Built around a “no fuss, big flavour” ethos, Trickle keeps things refreshingly simple – serving beer, wine, and cocktails straight from the tap.
While old-skool bartenders might cringe at the idea of bottled or canned cocktails, Croydon’s new-skool drinkers are happily sipping away. And with good reason: Trickle has teamed up with Black Lines, one of the most respected names in the pre-batched cocktail industry.
Since launching in East London in 2017, Black Lines has carved out a reputation as a serious player on the UK drinks scene – bringing bar-quality cocktails to taps, bottles, and cans across the country.
So, whether you opt for a Paloma, a Negroni, a Spicy Tommy’s Margarita (or one of the other four cocktails on offer), you’re in safe hands. Granted, those hands are mostly just pouring – but when the mix is this good, that’s all they need to do.
26 Dingwall Rd, Croydon CR0 9XF
