Black Pearl

After briefly closing for renovations in 2015 (its first in 13 years), Black Pearl is looking more sophisticated than ever. In the quieter moments, you'll find locals propped against the bar, chit-chatting with staff layering complex cocktails or lounging on the sofas and ottomans. Come alone, or bring your posse. It doesn’t much matter at this World Class drinking venue. The focus here is on cocktails, giving the mixing masters behind the bar a chance to showcase their skill.

When the weekend rolls around, the place inevitably starts to fill up. If you'd like a little more elbow room, try your luck at the upstairs bar, The Attic. The menu here reveals a serious selection of drinks, divided into categories to better help you find the exact tipple to get you on your way.

The drinks are in-house creations, using a carefully mapped-out selection of spirits to ensure the back bar isn't overloaded. This comes as a relief to anyone overwhelmed by too much choice on the ground floor. If you can manage to find a seat upstairs, the table service will assure your prolonged comfort. There's also bar snacks until 10pm, including sausage rolls so good they purportedly turned one of the bartenders against vegetarianism.