Swans Bar is a glamorous hideaway tucked inside Maison Assouline, part seller of rare books and smoky tobacco candles, and a sometimes host of martini exhibitions. Flick through a weighty tome emblazoned with the title YACHT and unashamedly fill up your camera roll, then head behind the shelves to Swans Bar. This glitzy St. James’s spot is where to go when the brief is: A Sense Of Occasion. Bow tie-wearing waiters place gold trays of coffee in front of doe-eyed couples celebrating anniversaries, a perfect truffle in one dish and a flower-shaped spoon for stirring. At the handsome bar, London’s most eligible loners pitch up on red stools, leafing through Ibiza coffee table books while sipping champagne. The snacky bar food—think jamón ibérico and tapenade—is good. But you’re here to feel like the city's most cultured socialite, rather than have an incredible meal so stick to coffee or a glass of champagne.