The Vault, Underground cocktail bar in Soho, London, United Kingdom.
The Vault is an underground cocktail bar located in Soho, London, accessed through a concealed entrance hidden behind a bookshelf. The interior features exposed brick, vintage lighting, and antique furnishings arranged to create an intimate basement setting.
The building housing this bar also contains the world's oldest whisky shop, established in 1964, and the basement retains original architectural features from that era. This layering of different time periods reflects the evolving history of the location.
The bar draws from speakeasy traditions, serving handcrafted cocktails prepared by skilled bartenders who follow classic recipes and use quality ingredients. Visitors experience a social ritual of discovery, entering through concealment rather than walking through an obvious doorway.
The bar is open Monday through Saturday from 5 PM onward and maintains a business casual dress code while accepting major credit cards. Due to its popularity and limited capacity, booking ahead is recommended to secure a table.
Access requires passing through a hidden door concealed behind a bookshelf, adding an element of discovery to the visit. This unexpected entry transforms the experience into something more memorable than a straightforward visit to a regular establishment.
Address: 3 Greek St, London W1D 4NX, UK
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 17:00-00:00
Phone: +442034040368
Website: http://thevaultsoho.co.uk
GPS coordinates: 51.51481,-0.13124
Latest update: December 6, 2025 19:01
London houses a notable number of unconventional drinking establishments and concealed bars that extend well beyond the ordinary pub experience. In former Underground stations, converted Victorian lavatories and behind unassuming facades, resourceful operators have created spaces that transport visitors to different eras and worlds. These venues often require a degree of discovery: entrances hide behind refrigerator doors, in apparent detective agencies or through small red doors that only the informed notice. The range extends from historic vaulted cellars like Gordon's Wine Bar, which has existed since 1890, to themed concepts such as Cahoots, housed in a disused 1940s Underground shaft. The Attendant uses a former Victorian public toilet as a café, while bars like Evans & Peel Detective Agency guide their guests through a role-playing scenario before granting access to the actual establishment. At higher elevations, Duck & Waffle and the bar at Heron Tower offer views across the city from the 40th floor. Most of these establishments concentrate in neighborhoods such as Soho, Shoreditch and the West End, where traditional pubs sit alongside experimental cocktail bars and specialized coffeehouses.
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