Our selection of the best bars in Bermondsey

You thought our first bar on this list would be a brewery taproom, didn’t you? Well, you’re wrong. You dope. Instead, we’re starting with Pedro's Wine Bar which puts Portuguese wines in the spotlight.

Snug under an old Victorian railway arch, Pedro's exposed brick walls, rustic wooden tables, and soft lighting all invite you to unwind with a glass of wine and savour small plates in an intimate setting.

For those who prefer al fresco dining, enjoy your Portuguese wines in an outdoor seating area under little lantern lights. We want to recommend many of Pedro’s offerings, but we’ll keep it simple: the Beyra Reisling and a cheeseboard.

A stone's throw from Bermondsey Street and a satellite brewery and taproom for the Bermondsey Beer Mile, Bianca Road Brew Co is laid-back and everything you want from a London brewery. Tucked under an old railway arch, it's got the typical industrial aesthetic, requisite merch, and well-good London-brewed American-style beers.

This is one for the craft lovers but bring your friends along, the taproom and bar serve up wines and spirits as well so nobody will go without. However, if you are the craft type, we recommend the Hay-Z New England Pale Ale and the Rye Whisky B.A. Vanilla Stout.

Along the Bermondsey Beer Mile, you'll stumble upon the one and only meadery in London, Gosnells Meadery Taproom. While most folks are sipping their pints of beer, you'll be in for a refreshing change of pace with their diverse lineup of mead and sparkling mead.

Session meads, small batch meads, tastings, and private hire – sure, it looks and functions like any other taproom on the Beer Mile, but we like Gosnells for being a Bermondsey bar paving its own path with its passion for mead.

On a sunny afternoon, grab a table outside and sip the Citra Sea sparkling mead, or for something different, check out the Hopped Mead, it’s still the Beer Mile, after all.

Beneath the Victorian facade of No. 8 Holyrood St, you'll find Nine Lives. This Bermondsey bar has an understated ambience and manages to be effortlessly cool but unpretentious.

We have to rate Nine Lives for their atmosphere and understanding of the part music plays in a quality bar. Expect chill hip-hop, funk, and electronic beats as you sip your cocktails. Whatever the genre, the music is always on point.

We recommend any of the cocktails at Nine Lives, but we highly recommend La Lutra, a clever little concoction of gin and sake. We equally rate their authentic street tacos served out of taco van, and enjoy them on the cobblestone street in the shadow of the Shard.

Descend below the Flour & Grape restaurant and you’ll find the Bermondsey bar Two One Four. It does basement cocktail bar well with low lighting, brick walls, wooden bar, and a playlist so popular you can listen to it on Spotify.

Two One Four has a cocktail menu that reads like a mixologist's dream. From gin flights to aperitivo concoctions, it’s the kind of bar where you order the classics just about as often as you order a signature cocktail.

If you want that late-night lounge vibe, there’s just something about sipping a Negroni or a Good Omen (essentially a fruity Manhattan) while seated at a leather booth in a dimly lit basement that makes for a great cocktail bar.

Welcome to the Arch House, the Bermondsey bar brought to you by the south London brewers Anspach & Hobday. Located in an old warehouse, it's like they took minimalism, threw in a dash of history, and brewed up the quintessential Bermondsey Beer Mile taphouse.

There are twelve Anspach & Hobday beers on tap, along with guest beer, cider, wine, and spirits. Take your pick; they've got a sip for every mood and palate. Plus, there's outdoor seating available out front.

The Arch House is a good shout on a weekend afternoon after filling up on some eats from nearby Maltby Street Market or Druid Street Market. And with the rest of the Beer Mile to explore, let it be but one stop among many.

Hawkes Cidery & Taproom, like its Beer Mile brewery fellows, is tucked within one of Bermondsey's iconic brick archways, though this bar caters to cider lovers.

With 20 taps of draft cider, Hawkes’ offering is a refreshing departure from the beer-dominated Mile. Sample London-brewed ciders within its minimalist surroundings, or take it outdoors and people-watch along the Beer Mile.

Take a Cidery tour, enjoy a stone-baked pizza, and pick up some merch. Still not enough? Try one of their cider-based cocktails, and take some cans away home with you.

Inspired by vintage London gins, Christian Jensen decided to revive the art of gin making. At Jensen’s they do it the old-school way – small batches and traditional botanicals, resulting in classic gins.

With its old brick railway arch and outdoor seating, Jensen’s could be mistaken for one of its Beer Mile associates. But here, Jensen’s classic London Dry Gin and Old Tom Gin are the focus of attention.

Pair either gin with Bermondsey tonic and sip southeast London out of a glass goblet, or have a taste of history – the Aged Negroni is made with the earthy Old Tom Gin, and the gin’s recipe is taken from an old distiller’s handbook written in the 1840s. Either way, this is a pared-down gin menu that gets our approval.

Housed in a brick railway arch? Check. Exposed brick? Check. Belongs to a brewery? Check. The Barrel Project is the taproom for the London Beer Factory. And like its name would suggest, the warmly lit industrial interior is filled with many oak barrels.

We expect classic flavours from the London Beer Factory, like the Day Dreamer hazy session IPA. But what caught our attention was the Kingsleaf mixed fermentation saison cold infused with fresh basil – fresh, floral, herby, and damn good. Damn good and different.

Brewery fresh beers, barrel-aged ales, and loaded burgers, this Bermondsey bar on the Beer Mile rates for its atmosphere, good drink, and good food. And we really like what these guys are ageing in their barrels.

Once again highlighting something a little unexpected from the beer-dominated Bermondsey scene, These Days Aperitivo Bar is all about making Aperitivo non-fussy and totally accessible.

With a vision to keep things simple, These Days focus on all-natural flavours paired with high-quality organic wine from the South of France. The best part? You can buy bottles to take home with you. We recommend the Sundown Spritz. You’re welcome.

When you step inside, you'll be greeted by a relaxed atmosphere that feels like your living room, but with a touch of class. Cosy tables and Persian rugs underfoot. We like this one for that day-to-night transition when the lighting is just right for that outdoor seating.

The Cloudwater taproom is another Beer Mile establishment that’s a little different. Housed in an old brick railway arch, just like its Mile mates, this taproom offers a taste of the north.

We like Cloudwater’s ability to create a chill atmosphere at this Bermondsey bar, and we equally like their commitment to crafting quality beers and collaborating with world-class breweries. It’s a brewery with strong branding but with the flavours to back up that strength.

Cloudwater brews and bottles its beers up north, focusing on quality ingredients, seasonal beers, and modern takes on classic styles. Success and popularity led to their opening a taproom in the capital and (rightfully) earning their piece of real estate on the Beer Mile.