Hire the perfect bar in Chelsea

The Chelsea Pig is a gastropub with two floors – a ground-floor bar and an oak-panelled dining room on the first floor called the Trophy Room. It’s a combination of cosy and moody, with eye-catching chandeliers and a wood-burning fireplace. There’s also a giant curiosity fish tank – it’s unusual decor, but it all manages to come together.

We love The Chelsea Pig for its simple yet elegantly presented menu. We rate the Pine Negroni and Cocoa Highball. This Chelsea bar is the place to go when you want to embrace the rainy London weather in the cosy confines of a neo-Victorian pub.

Callooh Callay – they’re in hip Shoreditch so we don’t know why they’re now in Chelsea. We’re joking. Of course they’re in Chelsea. The name of the game is cocktails with Callooh Callay, and our list of Chelsea bars wouldn’t be complete without them.

Down to serious business – we recommend the Lychee Martini with Absolut Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower, Regal Rogue Rosé Vermouth, and lychee cordial. Another favourite of ours is the floral Widow Kiss made with whiskey, peach tea cordial, Peychaud's Bitters, Merlet Soeurs Cerises Cherry Brandy liqueur and honey water. If you haven’t been to Callooh Callay before, the Chelsea location on the King’s Road is as good a place to start.

Steps from the King’s Road is The Phene, a three-floor clubhouse-style pub with roots going back to 1853. It’s known for its bars, cosy spaces, and sheltered garden in use both in the winter and summertime.

The Phene pitches itself as an iconic pub in the SW3, we think there are several factors that support this boast. As mentioned, the building dates back to the Victorian era and still stands tall in its elegance today.

From the lovely garden dining rooms to the Sunday Roasts dished up by a Michelin-trained chef, we’d argue it’s a well-known and well-loved Chelsea bar on their behalf, but they’re not shy in singing their own praises.

The Botanist is a sleek and stylish bar located in Sloane Square. It's great for having a few cocktails, trying a couple of remarkable dishes and people-watching, of course.

Their signature cocktails are all named and inspired by different countries, so do order the India Taj Mahal with whiskey, cherry jam, and orange and grape juice, and while you’re at it you should also try the Egypt Pyramid of Giza with gin, peach liqueur, and orange bitter.

They not only prioritise banging drinks but also sustainable and fully traceable great British produce. We’d argue that it is the mouthwatering food menu alongside the cocktail menu that makes The Botanist a top pick Chelsea bar for us. Simply put, they do what they do very well.

We love Ollie's House Chelsea for fronting as an Asian-inspired restaurant by day and moonlighting as a lounge by night. Swing by to indulge in dinner and drinks and then from 8 p.m. onwards enjoy a house DJ set with tropical lounge vibes. Or pop in on a Saturday for a DJ bunch from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Ollie's House Chelsea is cool and contemporary in decor and design, with just the right amount of mood lighting and greenery to transport us somewhere south of the equator, with a drinks menu and cocktails to complement the experience.

We especially rate this Chelsea bar and restaurant-cum-lounge for private parties and special occasions. With options to hire the full place (with a capacity of 150 guests) or a semi-private area of the restaurant (with a capacity of 70 guests), Ollie's House offers warm and inviting hospitality, a holiday-like atmosphere, sharing dishes and small plates, and to top it off, even your four-legged friends are welcome with a dedicated dogs menu and treats.

The Goat Chelsea is a bar and restaurant located just a short walk away from South Kensington station. Their name gives tribute to the 350-year-old pub, “The Goat In Boots,” that occupied the building before them – we like that they pay tribute to their history.

We love The Goat for a number of reasons. First, we’re suckers for special offers and they have several. Happy Hour with 2-4-1 on all drinks – we recommend the Chandon Garden Spritz and Sakura Blossom. Then there’s Diner’s Happy Hour and – get ready for it – Bottomless Pizza, which makes this Chelsea bar the G.O.A.T. as the kids say. Bad puns aside, it is pretty great.

We know they’re everywhere now, but for an immersive 1920s prohibition experience, check out Barts, it was one of London’s first speakeasy bars. It's decorated to imitate the apartment of the prolific Chicago gangster, Uncle Barts. The zig-zag tiles, old-timey photos, and mood lighting all add to the immersion of this Chelsea speakeasy.

They have bootlegged beverages, illicit cocktails, embezzled bottles, swiped snacks, and a prolific penchant for puns. Even if we’re a little over the whole immersive experience trend, we still rate the Tropic Plunder cocktail made with rum, chocolate liqueur, and pineapple juice, and the Whoa-jito made with vodka and lime & mint cordial, pineapple, and almond.

The King’s Arms is your quintessential pub perfect on match day – not surprising, Chelsea does have a world-famous football club. What is surprising is we thought there would be more pubs considering the aforementioned club.

This Chelsea bar is a short walk from Gloucester Road station and Stamford Bridge if you fancy a quick pint before heading over to a Chelsea match – if you’re lucky enough to be a season ticket holder, that is.

It’s also a great place even if you’re not into sport, it’s a Young’s pub, so they have everything you could ever want in a pub: quiz, craft draught beers, wines, classic cocktails, and Sunday Roasts all within some pretty modern digs.

On the border of South Kensington and Chelsea, you’ll find Jak’s Bar, a cocktail bar not to be confused with a restaurant of the same name also in Chelsea – just helping you out.

While their exterior is a bit unassuming, the inside is the complete opposite filled with brightly patterned furniture and framed graphic prints adorning the walls.

We love this Chelsea bar for its cocktails, enjoy a Pomegranate Margarita or a Rose Martini while you relax on the sofa. It’s the type of place to hang out with friends after a long stressful week and knock back a few.

The Beaufort House’s brasserie and cocktail bar welcomes all – friends, family, and even your furry friends. The Chelsea establishment, located a brisk walk away from Walham Green station, has a bougie yet relaxed atmosphere, and standout chandeliers. An upscale bar that welcomes dogs – we dare say Chelsea in a nutshell.

Let us not forget they are a cocktail bar and so we recommend the Basil Bomb and Salerno Spritz. If you’re after something more traditional, they have you covered with all our favourite colours of liquor – red, white, and rosé, and, of course, the bubbles – sparkling wine and beers. To be truly Chelsea, they just need cocktails for your pups, but we don’t think that exists – yet...