British cocktail culture has given the world some of its most beloved drinks, and every single one of them is easy to make at home. Grab your shaker, because we are about to fall in love with ten of the very best British cocktails.
This list leans into both sides of that story. These are the English cocktails that are easy to make at home, fun to drink, and stylish enough to cover everything from brunch to late night martinis.
Espresso Martini
The Espresso Martini was created in London by Dick Bradsell in the 1980s and has been going strong ever since. With vodka, coffee liqueur, and fresh espresso, it is rich, smooth, and just sharp enough to feel like a proper cocktail instead of a dessert in disguise.
Corpse Reviver No. 2
With gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, and a rinse of absinthe, the Corpse Reviver No. 2 is a beautifully balanced sour with real backbone. It has been reviving Brits since the nineteenth century and it is just as delightful today.
Pimm’s Cup
The Pimm’s Cup is the unofficial drink of English summer, and once you make one you will understand why. Built with Pimm’s No. 1, lemonade, and a generous handful of fresh fruit and cucumber, it feels like a garden party in a glass. We have a full walkthrough on our Pimm’s Cup recipe with all the measurements and garnish tips you need.
Breakfast Martini
Invented by bartender Salvatore Calabrese in 1996 at the Lanesborough Hotel in London, the Breakfast Martini takes gin, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and a spoonful of marmalade and turns it into one of the most charming cocktails you will ever sip. It sounds unusual until you taste it, and then it just makes sense. Our full Breakfast Martini recipe has everything you need to make it shine.
Tom Collins
The Collins family of drinks traces back to a London headwaiter, and the Tom Collins version made with Old Tom gin is a gorgeous, fizzy, lemony classic. It is the kind of drink that disappears fast on a warm afternoon. Full details are on our Tom Collins recipe page.
Vesper Martini
Yes, this is James Bond’s martini, and yes, it absolutely lives up to the hype. Gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc come together into something crisp, bold, and a little bit glamorous. We walk through the whole thing on our Vesper Martini page.
Buck’s Fizz (Mimosa)
Invented at London’s Buck’s Club in 1921, Buck’s Fizz is Britain’s answer to the mimosa, with a slightly richer ratio of orange juice to champagne. It is a brunch essential and an instant mood lifter.
London Calling
This one is a love letter to the city itself, built with gin, fino sherry, lemon juice, and a couple dashes of orange bitters. It is bright, a little savory, and endlessly sippable. We have the complete recipe on our London Calling cocktail page.
Bramble
Created by the legendary British bartender Dick Bradsell in 1980s London, the Bramble brings together gin, lemon juice, and a gorgeous drizzle of blackberry liqueur poured over crushed ice. It looks like it took real skill to make, and it kind of did, but it is genuinely simple once you know the trick. Get the full recipe and technique on our Bramble cocktail page.
Hanky Panky
Ada Coleman created the Hanky Panky at the American Bar in the Savoy for the actor Sir Charles Hawtrey, who came in begging for a pick me up after a long night. Gin, sweet vermouth, and a touch of Fernet Branca come together into something rich, herbal, and completely unforgettable. You can find the full recipe on our Hanky Panky page.
White Lady
The White Lady was first dreamed up by Harry MacElhone in 1919 at Ciro’s Club in London, though he later reworked it into the gin, orange liqueur, and lemon juice version we love today. It is silky, bright, and endlessly elegant, the kind of drink that always feels a little special. Get the full recipe on our White Lady cocktail page.
Why Lush Life Loves British Cocktails
So many of these drinks were born in London hotel bars and private clubs, dreamed up by bartenders who wanted to create something a little clever and a little unexpected. Every one of these ten drinks carries that same spirit, and we adore that you can bring a piece of that history into your own kitchen tonight.
Easy Swaps to Make Any of These Your Own
- No fino sherry on hand? A dry oloroso works beautifully in the Coronation Cocktail or London Calling.
- Swap Old Tom gin for a classic London Dry in the Tom Collins for a slightly crisper finish.
- Out of Lillet Blanc? A dry white vermouth is a lovely substitute in the Vesper or Corpse Reviver No. 2.
- Make Buck’s Fizz alcohol free by using sparkling white grape juice in place of champagne.
These ten drinks are such a joyful way to explore British cocktail culture, one glass at a time. If you want to taste this history straight from the source, London Cocktail Tours takes you right into the city’s best bars for an evening you will be talking about for weeks.