The best Happy Hours for cocktails in London

Including Friday and Saturday nights...

The clocks have gone forward, the sun is out, Easter has been and gone and it is safe to say summer is well and truly on its way. Bring on the after-work drinks and cocktails in the sun.

Make those summer drinks even better by taking advantage of some of the happiest happy hours London has to offer. Gone are the days of a single hour of reduced price drinks, many of those featured below last all day, and all night. Here is our guide to some of the finest examples you will find about town.

The Joint, Marylebone

BBQ slow cooked meat and cheap cocktails. What’s not to love about this place? The Joint, Marylebone is the new kid on the block. Alongside their utterly mouthwatering burgers and ribs they are well and truly putting on a spread with the cocktails, and at an outrageously good price too. Everyday, 4-7pm their £6.50 cocktails are 2 for 1. They do not stick to the classics either; this list includes White Sangria, Soft Punch (albeit not so soft with absinthe and vanilla infused vodka) and Scotch Tommy’s made with lemongrass and chilli infused tequila. What more can you ask for?

Find them at: 19 New Cavendish Street, W1G 9TZ. http://the-joint.co

The Rum Kitchen, Notting Hill

Let your mind drift away to a white, sandy Caribbean beach at the Rum Kitchen in Notting Hill. With the sound of reggae in your ears and the smell of jerk and rum, The Rum Kitchen is the perfect place to start the weekend. Embrace the spirit of the West Indies 6-8pm daily and treat yourself to their selection of £5 cocktails during their happy hours. Their namesake says it all; rum is the spirit of choice here. Choose from five of their signature cocktails; including a twist on a childhood classic Coco Loca, a rum and coke float and Alligator Wine - sangria’s Caribbean rum-based cousin.

Find them at: 6-8 All Saints Road, W11 1HH. http://therumkitchen.com

Lost Angel, Battersea

Lost Angel covers all bases; good food, cracking cocktails, real ales and banging live music. They also have one of the most generous happy hours around…Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday 5-8pm, Friday 12-8pm and finally all day Sunday, all cocktails run at £6. Not only are the times generous, but the cocktails are too. Lost Angel has a 30-strong cocktail list, all of which are included in their ‘Cocktail Hours’. From modern twists to the traditional classics, you will find it all at Lost Angel.

Find them at: 339 Battersea Park Road, SW11 4LS. http://www.lostangel.co.uk

Joe’s Southern Kitchen, Covent Garden

Roll on down to Joe’s Southern Kitchen for a taste of the Deep South. Whether you’re there for some good old soul food cooking, or just for a drink at the bar, take advantage of their cracking happy hour. Monday to Friday from 4-6.30pm and all day Sunday (yes I did say all day…) enjoy six of their best cocktails for only £4. A classic Margarita, two types of Martini (French and watermelon) and an Amaretto Sour to name but at few. Grab a drink and feel yourself transported to the deep American South.

Find them at: 34 King Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8JD. http://joessouthernkitchen.co.uk/covent-garden/index

Rosa’s Thai Café, Chelsea

Think of Rosa’s Thai Café and big bowls of delicious, fragrant curry are unsurprisingly what spring to mind first. However Rosa’s do not only serve up kicking curries, but also some mouthwatering cocktails to match. Choose any of their cocktails and get one free between 5 and 7pm, everyday of the week. Priced between £7.50 and £8.50, they serve up a wide variety, from Thai Rum Coffee Cocktail to Sweet Thai Basil Smash; all tastes will be catered for.

Find them at: 246 Fulham Road, SW10 9NA. http://rosasthaicafe.com/chelsea/

London Cocktail Club, Islington

The London Cocktail Club (LCC) has been a pioneer in the experimental cocktail scene around town. Whether you live or work North, South, East or West, with a number of sites dotted around London (Covent Garden and Shoreditch to name but two) LCC has it all. On their menu you will find never before seen cocktails using weird and wonderful ingredients. From the Bacon and Egg Martini to the Squid Ink Sour this menu has some unseen additions in and amongst the well-known classics. At their Pharmacy themed site in Islington happy hour runs from 5-8pm Tuesday – Saturday and all night Monday, when all of these creative cocktails are 2 for £10 (when ordering the same cocktail). So if you are feeling in an experimental mood, head on down to this speakeasy neighbourhood bar for your pick of their finest tipples.

Find them at: 108 Essex Road, N1 8LX. http://www.londoncocktailclub.co.uk/islington/

Barrio East, Shoreditch

Visit Barrio East for a night of Latin flare, colour and fun. Pop there for a couple of after-work drinks, go for supper, or start the weekend early in true fiesta style. Putting their Latino twist on Happy Hour, enjoy £5 cocktails, £5 off selected bottles of wine and £3 selected bottles of beer from 4-8pm daily with Barrio’s aptly named Amigo Hour. Choose from well-known classics such as Mojitos, Margaritas and Caipirinhas and dance the night away in this Latin den.

Find them at: 141-143 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JE. http://barrioeast.com

The Well, Clerkenwell

Head on down to The Well, Monday to Thursday from 5pm to 7pm and enjoy 2-4-1 on all of their cocktails and shrubs (fruit syrups topped up with Prosecco). Putting their own fresh twists on classic cocktails (priced at £8.50 each), The Well has an enticing menu, which will not leave you disappointed. Be it a Rosemary Sazerac (rosemary and absinthe) or a Lavender and Cherry Julep (Bourbon, lavender and ratefia), their cocktails are the perfect way to see in the summer.

Find them at: 180 St John Street, Clerkenwell, EC1V 4JY. http://www.downthewell.co.uk/index.php