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Satan's Whiskers

London

An east London classic that gets better with age

Satan's Whiskers is Exhibit A of the argument that a great cocktail bar can just be a cocktail bar, and everything else – the themes, the conceptual menus, the abstract drinks – aren't strictly necessary. In the end, a good bar is about mastering the experience.

That means the team at Satan's Whiskers think about the stuff you don't necessarily notice – the pitch of the lights and the levels of the music – along with the stuff you do. The bartenders here are as well trained as any in bartending. They are tested on pouring accuracy and speed, they blind taste spirits and study the classics. This is the craft of bartending – and here it is preserved for posterity. Indeed, Satan's Whiskers' own lineage – through owner Kevin Armstrong – takes you directly to the modern world's most influential bar: the seminal Milk & Honey, which topped The 50 Best Bars lists in 2010 and 2011.

That devil's-in-the-detail philosophy has run through Satan's Whiskers' veins since it opened in 2013, so, expect unimpeachable classics drawn from a 900-strong repertoire.

You could test the bartenders with something off-menu or opt for one of their rotating list's latest offerings. Every classic here has been tested, tweaked and refined to within an inch of its life, so there are no bad choices. The bar's Miami Vice (a strawberry daiquiri and piña colada sharing a glass) has a big following in the trade, but it'd be remiss not to also get your hands around an East 8 Hold-Up (vodka, Aperol, pineapple, lime juice), a bona fide classic, invented by Armstrong himself.

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