London’s best outdoor bars for winter 2015

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From St Moritz high jinks to carolling

Alfresco winter bars are becoming increasingly popular around London – but a few heaters do not a cosy destination spot make… These three sophisticated new outdoor London terraces raise the bar:  

1) The St Moritz Ski Bar (pictured) has slalomed into The Goring Hotel from another iconic and family-owned hotel, Badrutt’s Palace in St Moritz. Masterminded by the Swiss hotel’s award-winning barman Andrea Delvo, cocktails such as the San Moritzino, Suissesse or Glühwein are accompanied by Swiss-inspired canapés from chef Shay Cooper, who has put his Michelin-starred twist on tartiflette, rösti potato, mustard macaron with Emmental cheese and cured ham. Crispy cauliflower with curry mayonnaise or foie-gras parfait with port jelly and brioche will slide down as easily as a toboggan on the Cresta Run. On that note, wooden sled tables, antique skis, cosy sheepskins, twinkling lanterns and thick cashmere rugs set the scene – even the waiters wear vintage ski jumpers. And with the sound of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra softly playing from the vintage gramophone, après-ski (post 6pm) Swiss style is brought alive in SW1 – until February 2016.

The Goring Hotel, Beeston Place, London SW1 (020-7396 9000; www.thegoring.com).

2) Not far away, in Kensington, an 18ft Christmas tree is the centrepiece of the Winter Retreat at Bibendum Oyster Bar, open until Christmas Eve. Special drinks include a Bibendum Hot Toddy, made with vin de liqueur à l’Armagnac, orange zest, cinnamon, star anise and cloves, while on the menu there are warming dishes such as fish pie, devilled crab gratin and Bibendum’s Christmas pudding with eggnog ice cream. Put Wednesday December 16 in the diary for Christmas carols, where cappella choir Hackney Voices will perform Christmas classics from 7.30pm to 8.15pm, while guests enjoy complimentary mince pies and mulled wine. During the songs, a donation box will collect funds for The Royal Marsden Hospital.

Bibendum, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, London SW3 (020-7589 1480; www.bibendum.co.uk).

3) In Holborn, a new all-year outdoor drinks space has opened in the courtyard of the Rosewood London hotel – for this season christened The Terrace: Winter. Transformed by award-winning landscape designer Luciano Giubbilei, it has heated benches, blankets and warming drinks such as hot toddies, hot buttered rum, spiced Somerset cider, mulled wine and British whiskies to keep things toasty. The winter à la carte menu will also be available, including sharing hotpots for two, from roast Aylesbury duckling with peppered cabbage to spiced pumpkin and chickpea stew with herb dumplings. Desserts include sticky toffee pudding, ice cream and sorbets.  

Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1 (020-3747 8633; www.rosewoodhotels.com).