The Imperfect Martini. At Lyaness in the Thames-side Sea Containers hotel, Ryan Chetiyawardana serves intriguing seasonal menu, defined by unconventional ingredients. The Imperfect Martini, a star of the fall offerings, is what I would consider to be a perfect iteration. It’s made from discarded grape-skin vodka and uses grass amazake, the sweet distilled Japanese beverage, as an alternative to vermouth. A hit of fermented squash makes it wonderfully fruity but keeps it dry.

Watermelon Sugar. Yes, it’s named after the Harry Styles song, and yes, the name piques customers’ interest: According to creator Dan Ghazel, the tall, hyper-refreshing drink is one of the most popular drinks at the downstairs bar housed in an old clothing shop. Garnished with a long watermelon sphere, it’s a twist on the paloma and made with a singular—and actually tasty!—watermelon liqueur, plus a bittersweet grapefruit aperitif and tequila and mezcal.

Yuzu Frozen Margarita. This monumental bar is divided into two parts. Half is the ambitious Tayer, hidden behind a door. At the approachable, street-facing Elementary, frozen drink machines operate throughout the year. The most popular is the yuzu margarita, a simple mix of tequila and the fragrant, floral citrus fruit yuzu; the x-factor ingredient that gives it an extra little kick is a splash of sake. It’s a perfect slushy treat, even when the texture of the drink matches the weather outside.

Bellini Royale. The pink concoction vaguely matches the restaurant’s signature color and is a mix of bubbly and strawberry and peach puree. What makes it captivating is the dollop of rich Champagne mousse that comes on top, like an extravagant gift. This Soho institution is renowned for the “Press for Champagne” buzzers that stand ready for duty at every booth.

Number 11. The ritzy hotel bar mixes one of the world’s more famous martinis, made tableside from a cart that also offers a little, scratch-and-sniff-style card to help you decide among the five bitters. For those of us who are more firmly in the Vesper camp, the Connaught’s Number 11 is a masterpiece. It was created on the bar’s 11th anniversary, in 2019, and includes the five bitter choices—cardamom, tonka, ginseng and bergamot, lavender, and coriander—along with gin and lemon oil.

Sun Conure. In the Nomad Hotel’s clubby subterranean bar, the menu gives storybook vibes, featuring a list of illustrated ingredients and two distinct drinks that riff on each one. The Sun Conure revolves around Szechuan peppercorns and is named for the colorful parakeet from Venezuela, the birthplace of cocktail director Leo Robitschek. It’s a combination of potent, molasses-y Appleton 12-year-rum infused with the toasted peppercorns, together with Campari and passion fruit.

House Negroni Classico. A river of great negronis runs through London. But none is greater than the ones poured by drinks expert Tony Conigliaro at the classy, direct-from-Italy Bar Termini. Admire the image above as the inimitable mix of gin, sweet vermouth and Campari is poured from a bottle, right up to the lip of the small glass. You have to lean in to sip, which is part of the allure. Also appealing: There’s no ice to get in the way of the drink.

Away. It’s hard to think of a better cocktail than the Last Word, a tart-sweet drink made with equal amounts of gin, maraschino, chartreuse and lime juice. At the Thin White Duke in Soho, a hybrid bar that also houses a recording studio, the drinks channel David Bowie with such names as China Girl and Rum for the Shadows. Dav Eames’s drink replaces the gin with mezcal and adds a splash of absinthe, all served ice cold in a goblet of a glass.