Best American bars to visit in London this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a Turkey Day tipple at some of London’s most buzzing American-themed bars?

Dead Man’s Boot cocktail at Steam and Rye – one of our top bars to visit this Thanksgiving Photo: Ming Tang-Evans

For some, the best part of Thanksgiving is that traditional Turkey feast, but for keen imbibers a traditional tipple will do just as well.

It goes without saying that Londoners need little excuse for a celebration, and in a city so enamoured with US cocktail culture there’s no end to the number of bars and restaurants that can deliver a true taste of Americana.

Authentic darty-and-dirty dive bars, glam hangouts beloved by Frank Sinatra, and a venue that regards itself as “an American dream” all feature on our list.

So whether you’re an ex-pat reminiscing about home, or you just fancy a fun Thursday night out, we’ve compiled our pick of the best American bars in London to visit this Thanksgiving.

Have we missed your favourite? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

NOLA

Address: 68 Rivington Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 3AY

You could walk past Nola – quietly tucked away above a distinctly average-looking pub on Hoxton’s Rivington Street – one million times and never know, so it’s a good job we’re telling you about it. Expect the very best bits of New Orleans, LouisiAna (the bar’s namesake) with plenty of Bourbon, jazz and knockout cocktails. The bar team will celebrate Turkey Day with a special Thanksgiving Keepsake cocktail, made from a combination of cranberry-infused Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Noix Saint Jean Walnut Wine, Farigoule Thyme Liqueur, lemon juice and Angostura bitters.

Steam and Rye

Address: 147 Leadenhall Street, EC3V 4QT

Steam and Rye is more an experience than a bar, hurtling you headfirst into the glamour and opulence of 1920s Americana. Situated in the old Bank of New York on Leadenhall Street, this multi-level multi-room bar is intended to be “an American dream on British soil”. The Main Hall and Station Gardens are modeled on New York’s Grand Central Station, and feature a sculpted bar, a stage, Grand Central’s clock, and a selection of Eastern Pacific Steam Train Dining Carriages, while next door you’ll find Beamish’s Study – a private dining room – and upstairs, the dimly-lit Cargo Hold, which is decked out with suitcases, birdcages and taxidermy galore. The basement (yes, there’s more) is home to the cosy and opulent 1st Class Cocktail Carriage, which boasts a list of exotic and experimental drinks. Try the Yippee Ki Yay: Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Grand Marnier, Buffalo Trace White Dog, Genever, Sebor Absinthe, Port, Madeira, Bitters and lime juice.

Big Easy

Address: 12 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, WC2E 7NA

Any one of the three Big Easy branches – Chelsea, Covent Garden, and most recently, Canary Wharf – will give you a Thanksgiving to remember, but if you’re looking for cocktails, The Shelter bar at the Covent Garden branch is your best bet for a Turkey Day tipple. Menu classics include the Smoking Barrel, containing Mount Gay Black Barrel, lemon, honey and ginger syrup, and a Bruichladdich Octomore mist; and Southern Rose, a concoction of Absolut, St Germain, Rose liqueur, lime, and cucumber; but there’ll also be a Wild Turkey Bourbon special on offer. Big Easy will be serving a Thanksgiving feast with a set menu starting at £30 across all three branches.

Address: 20 Sherwood Street, W1F 7ED

Feel like an American movie star circa the 1920s in the glamorous Art Deco surroundings of Bar Américain. Short and succinct, the cocktail menu weaves American and French culture together with class. Take the Chrysler Cocktail, for example – a delicious fusion of Cognac, Chambord, Port, Campari, Orange Curaçao and Bitters.

Dirty Bones

Address: 20 Kensington Church Street, Kensington, W8 4EP

A ‘dive and dog bar’ is a concept that wouldn’t work in many places – but Dirty Bones prides itself on being home to the finest American comfort food and cocktails. The bar-restaurant-cafe hybrid first opened in Kensington, and most recently just expanded to Soho and Carnaby too. Expect incredible American nosh every day of the week, and kitsch, quality cocktails to match. This Thanksgiving, the Dirty Bones team are serving up a ‘Thank-full Sharer Menu’ complete with Pardoned Turkey’s Cocktail – an indulgent mix of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, double cream, vanilla and cardamom, garnished with a ‘turkey’s crown’ of green apple and cinnamon. 

The American Bar at The Savoy

Address: The Savoy Hotel, 100 Strand, WC2R 0EZ

The gold standard of American bars in London; if you’re looking for class in a glass this Thanksgiving, The American Bar at The Savoy is the place to go. Widely regarded as one of the best hotel bars in the world, and dripping in cocktail history (125 years of it, to be precise) there’s nowhere sweeter to sip on a cocktail. Order a drink, make yourself comfortable, take in the live jazz – performed on a baby grand piano every night of the week – and immerse yourself in the world of retro glamour. 

Slim Jim’s Liquor Store

Address: 112 Upper Street, Islington, N1 1QN

Our next choice is whiskey rock ‘n’ roll dive bar, Slim Jim’s Liquor Store. A self-proclaimed ‘hard-drinking, hard-partying’ hangout, if you’re searching for an authentic dive bar experience in London Slim Jim’s is the jackpot. Here, bras hang from the ceiling, band posters cover the wall, and neon signs impart an ambiance you won’t find elsewhere in London, while a steady stream of rock music erupts from the jukebox (or dj, depending on what night of the week it is). Slim Jim’s is a true American gem – albeit, unpolished – and that’s its charm.

Far Rockaway

Address: 97-113 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, EC2A 3BS

Psychedelic bar, restaurant and gallery Far Rockaway captures the essence and style of Queen’s NY Rockaway Beach. Hundreds of hand painted skateboards adorn the ceiling, the walls are covered in graffiti-style art, and there’s an entire room reading room stocked with 4,000 DC and Marvel comic books. Big pizzas, bigger cocktails, and great vibes.