Best mulled cider, sloe gin and hot cocktails in London for the festive season

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Lizzie Thomson5 December 2018

'Tis the season for roaring fires, mince pies and, of course, mulled drinks.

If you're bored of the traditional mulled wine and fancy trying something different, London's bars have a whole host of Christmassy treats on offer.

From boozy hot chocolates to mulled cocktails, there's plenty of creative drinks to warm your cockles.

Here are our favourite winter warmers, listed in no particular order.

Hot tarte tatin rum and mulled port, Queen of Hoxton​ – £6.50

This winter, the Queen of Hoxton is bringing the bohemia of 20th century Paris to Shoreditch with a Moulin Rouge-themed rooftop. It’s swapping traditional winter beverages for warming European treats, with drinks like mulled port and a hot buttery tarte tatin rum made with caramelised brown sugar, cloudy apple juice, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, star anise and caramel syrup. Open fire pits are dotted all over the roof too, making it the perfect cosy space to settle into after work.

1 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX, queenofhoxton.com

Hot Gin and Gingerbread at Bōkan 39 Rooftop – £9

Legend has it that gin and gingerbread was the first ever recorded food pairing, dating back to the 1600s. More than 400 years on, it's still a popular combination and Bōkan 39 has created its own version of it for the festive period. The biscuity tipple fuses hot gin and fiery gingerbread syrup and is garnished with a wedge of orange for a fruity finish.

40 Marsh Wall, E14 9TP, bokanlondon.co.uk

Sweet Temptation at Sky Pod Bar – £11.50

Sky Pod Bar has launched a brand new festive drink this year offering a twist on a popular winter warmer. Its new boozy hot chocolate, Sweet Temptation, combines Hennessy cognac and amaretto to make a rich alcoholic base and adds a dash of cinnamon for a familiar festive taste. It's also served with a slither of shortbread — perfect for dunking.

1 Sky Garden Walk, EC3M 8AF skygarden.london/sky-pod-bar

Mulled rosé at Tom, Dick and Harry’s – £9

If you thought rosé season was over, think again. It's getting mulled at Tom, Dick and Harry’s bar in north London. Made up of Belsazar rosê wine, grapefruit liqueur and grapefruit juice, the unique drink puts a modern stamp on traditional warm wine, with a lighter, pinker alternative. Get your hands on one for £9 a glass.

153 High Road, Loughton, IG10 4LF​, tomdickandharrys.co.uk​

Mulled Manhattan, Benares – £18

Bespoke winter drinks are on the menu at this Michelin-starred Indian restaurant and one well-loved cocktail has undergone a seasonal makeover to form a Mulled Manhattan. It features 18-year-old Chivas scotch and a house-made wine reduction. No mulled drink would be complete without orange slices, fragrant cloves and cinnamon sticks, so expect generous helpings of those too.

12a, Berkeley Square, W1J 6BS, benaresrestaurant.com

Mulled cider, Skylight – £5.50

Chris Orange

Mulled cider is a great boozy alternative to wine, and Skylight's offering is fruity and refreshing — everything a mulled cider should be. The venue boasts great views of the city as well as a rooftop ice rink, a selection of igloos and huts to huddle in. If this doesn't give you the festive feels, nothing will.

Tobacco Dock, E1W 2SF, skylightlondon.com

London restaurants that will get you in the Christmas spirit

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Mulled sloe gin, John Lewis Rooftop – £8.50

Summer may be over but gin season certainly isn't. The Sipsmith bar on the John Lewis rooftop, is serving mulled sloe gin with cloudy apple juice and winter spices in a retro metal mug. The bar is inspired by the 17th century frost fairs which used to take place on the frozen River Thames, where shop owners would set up stalls selling hot gin. Pay homage to the tradition and snuggle up with the spirit itself.

The gin connoisseurs at Sipsmith will also be over at Bar + Block’s Winter Gin Bar, from November 30 - December 2 and then again from December 7-9, supplying mulled sloe gin, hot gin and gingerbread drinks and hot toddies. They’ve also popped up at Camino Bankside with warm gin treats too.

300 Oxford Street, W1C 1DX, johnlewis.com

The Wassail at Manetta's Bar – £16

Christmas is the season for bubbly and the excellent Manetta’s Bar in Mayfair is swapping mulled wine for champagne cognac with its warming cocktail the Wassail. It’s mixed with apple juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, vanilla bean and allspice for a familiar flavour. We guarantee it’ll warm you both inside and out, but so it should do for £16​ a pop.

39 Clarges Street, London, W1J 7EW, flemings-mayfair.co.uk