11 of the cosiest bars to snuggle up in with a gin cocktail this autumn

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful… so pull up a seat in one of these gorgeous cosy bars and snuggle up with a delicious gin cocktail!

From underground speakeasies to converted vintage pubs and stylish, intimate city bars, we’ve scoured the UK from top to toe and come up with eleven of the most sumptuous hideaways where you can forget all about the freezing winds, drenching rain and long, dark nights outside. Think candlelight, think velvet armchairs, think roaring fires, and best of all, think world-class gin cocktails! We’ll see you next spring…

This basement cocktail bar in the heart of Bath has been heaped with praise by customers and industry experts alike since opening in 2016. With low lighting, heavy drapes, squidgy leather armchairs and several secret, intimate rooms where you can sip your expertly crafted cocktails in privacy, it’s no wonder this snug cocktail bar was shortlisted as one of the top 10 venues nominated for the ‘Best Bar In Europe’ award at Tales Of The Cocktail, a prestigious international awards ceremony, in June 2019.

Our pick of the gin cocktails? The High Society, a combination of Beefeater London Dry Gin with Sipsmith Sloe Gin, blood orange cordial, fresh lime and house fizz.

Inspired by the speakeasies of the Prohibition era, this back-alley underground bar recently celebrated a big win at the Black Cow Cup, a world-renowned bartending competition, with bartender Jamie Lock taking home the crown. Alongside the award-winning cocktails - all named after Welsh heroes like Shirley Bassey and Joe Calzaghe - visitors can expect low-lit sunken sofas surrounded by black and white photos - perfect for hiding away from the worst weather for a few hours.

Our pick of the gin cocktails? Bullet for my Valentine: Gin, Lanique Rose Liqueur, elderflower, cucumber, prosecco, and lemon.

What better way to retreat from the freezing winds and blustery sheets of rain than by sinking into one of the velvet seats lined with plump satin cushions as one of the bar staff guide you gently through the different cocktails and gins on hand at this specialist gin bar? Bonus points go to Simpson’s for being a pooch-friendly parlour!

Our pick of the gin cocktails? A classic Aviation: Broker’s Gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette and lemon juice

Come for the double-sided log burner, deep leather armchairs and candlelit, oak-panelled lounge bar; stay for the gin cocktails! No. Twenty-9, a beautifully converted Grade II listed building in historic Burnham Market, is primarily a restaurant but the bar, and cocktails on it, are well worth a visit in their own right. Another dog-friendly venue always wine our team round, too!

Our pick of the gin cocktails? No. Twenty9’s signature cocktail, the No.29, combines Bombay Sapphire gin, prosecco, jalapeño, cucumber and mint.

Head to London’s Covent Garden for a few hours of total escapism as you sink into a plush velvet sofa in front of a roaring fire while tapping your toes to the live jazz music guests are treated to nightly at Scarfe’s Bar, part of the ultra-luxurious Rosewood Hotel. This sumptuously cosy hideaway is even ranked no.55 on the World’s Best Bars List 2019!

Our pick of the gin cocktails? High C Spritz: Hendrick’s Orbium, Mandarin & Bergamot, Mediterranean Vermouth, Cedro, Olive Leaves.

A roaring fire? Check. Soft lamplight? Check. A world-class cocktail menu? Check. This laid-back, cosy bar would be on our hitlist at any time of year, but surely comes into its own in autumn and winter. Selected by The Telegraph as one of the best bars in Edinburgh, the Last Word Saloon is described as “warm and dark and discreet — the sort of place you can imagine Bogart and Bacall meeting for a drink.” Sold.

Our pick of the gin cocktails? End of the Last Century: Tanqueray gin, sunflower cacao, Amandine liqueur, fino sherry, lemon and soda.

A secret little hideaway in the heart of Canterbury, Bramleys is an intimate space inspired by the speakeasy bars and music halls of yesteryear: decorated in vintage style, the bar hosts live music twice a week and a cocktail menu full of classics and lesser-known treats.

Our pick of the gin cocktails? The High & Dry: Gin, lemon juice, house-made cane syrup, apple juice and apricot brandy.

Another prohibition era-themed bar specialising in whiskey, blues, jazz and - hurrah! - gin. In keeping with the hidden nature of traditional speakeasies, the entrance to Berry & Rye is an anonymous door in a blacked-out shop front; visitors have to be in the know to find it! Upon knocking, a doorman will usher you down into a bar filled with candlelit leather booths, a dark wood-panelled bar and a cocktail menu ‘hidden’ inside leather-bound books.

Our pick of the cocktail menu? A French 75: Beefeater 24 gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, spumante.

This tiny bar in London’s smart Islington district only seats 35 people, so cosiness and intimacy are guaranteed! Run by master mixoligist Tony Conigliaro, the stylish retro bar’s cocktail menu is short but top-of-class, and you can always ask the smartly uniformed bartenders to whip up something off-list.

Our pick of the gin cocktails? The Barbershop Fizz: Pine infused Gin, Lime Juice, Birch, Vanilla & Patchouli Syrup, Mint and Soda Water.

Billing itself as “Glasgow’s first and best gin cocktail bar”, The Finnieston is a charming hybrid of old-fashioned boozer, vintage gin palace and modern-day speakeasy. With a shelf featuring more than 60 craft gins and a cocktail menu to rival that of any cosmopolitan European city, this is one cosy bar boasting both substance and style.

Our pick of the gin cocktails? The Charlie Chaplin: Sipsmith’s Sloe Gin, Lime, Apricot.

Sneak under the velvet drapes, drape yourself across the velvet chairs in front of the fire and enjoy an elegant cocktail by the pearly glow of a vintage-style lamp at this little gem of a cocktail bar in the Linen Quarter, one of Belfast’s most exciting districts.

Our pick of the gin cocktails? The Alement: Plymouth Gin, Pineapple-infused falernum, pineapple, apple, fresh lime and IPA.