Dry January is nothing more than a distant memory and it’s no longer dark by 4pm; if you’ve been staying way from bars so far in 2026, now is the time to begin exploring again and there are a host of new venues to offer encouragement.
Our round-up for February focuses on London and New York. The former welcomes a cocktail bar in the basement of a plush new hotel, a bar attached to a restaurant loved by locals and Michelin inspectors alike, and an experimental spot in Covent Garden from a partnership involving award-winning bartender Angelos Bafas. Over the Atlantic, NYC’s West Village gets a hip cocktail bar with a focus on Martinis and a new wine bar.
Read on to discover the most exciting new bars to visit this month.
The best new bars to visit in February 2026
Gambit Bar
London, UK
The Newman Hotel is the latest designer accommodation in Fitzrovia and, along with a restaurant called Brasserie Angelica, it has opened with an intimate, speakeasy-style bar in the basement. Gambit Bar aims for ‘creative yet understated’ cocktails and there are 10 signature serves on the menu, all of which are, impressively, also available in non-alcoholic form. The Kings and Queens combines rye whiskey, olive and sweet vermouth; the Dazed and Confused is a mix of chilli-infused tequila, egg white, blood peach and açaí syrup and lime juice, while the Horse’s Neck 2.0 contains cognac, Double Apple Shrub, orange bitter and ginger ale. To accompany the drinks is a selection of snacks and small plates, including gougères, gildas, oysters, croquettes, caviar and flatbreads. The bar’s aesthetic takes inspiration from Vorticism and makes for a sleek, cosy retreat, especially from the constant rain in the capital.
Open now, gambitbar.com
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Dandelion
New York, US
Eytan Sugarman and Will Makris both have proven track records in New York hospitality and Dandelion is their first venue as a duo having been friends for more than two decades. A ‘dedicated Martini service’ is making waves in the cocktail bar’s initial weeks of existence, with five variations to choose from plus a range of garnishes that goes beyond olives and lemon twists to parmesan and prosciutto. A short selection of snacks has been created by Franco Sampogna, chef at Michelin-starred Frevo in Greenwich Village, including a prime rib sandwich, tuna crudo and jamon iberico French toast. The low-level lighting, art-adorned walls and marble top bar all lend themselves perfectly to a Valentines Day date, for those under pressure to find a suitable venue this month.
Open now, dandelionnewyork.com
Cato
London, UK
Award-winning bartender and drinks author Angelos Bafas is a partner in this new cocktail spot for Covent Garden. Cato is named after Cato Alexander, allegedly the world’s first celebrity mixologist based in New York in the 1800s, and is split over two levels, with the ground-floor bar using the Julep, made famous by Alexander, as its theme. Downstairs is an intimate basement bar and the place to find Cato’s more experimental, conceptual cocktail creations; at opening, a menu called Colour Has Flavour overseen by Bafos explores ‘how colour shapes flavour, aroma, texture and expectation’ with 14 cocktails categorised into seven colours. All the produce and spirits used are from the UK and the bar is aiming to become the first to be self-sufficient in herbs and fruits via an in-house growing system.
Open now, catobar.co.uk
Aperitivo by Carta
New York, US
The owners of the wine bar Carta in the West Village have opened their second venue a few blocks north. Aperitivo by Carta will serve as a café during the day before turning into a wine bar by night, serving around 30 wines plus beers, vermouths and spritzes. The menu offered in the evening features plates from a raw bar – think oysters, mussels, razor clams and scallop aguachile – plus more substantial mains such as lobster macaroni cheese, steak, braised short rib and half a chicken.
Open now, aperitivobycarta.com
Forbidden City
London, UK
This bar, part of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant A. Wong, was until recently an area only available to diners for pre and post-meal drinks but has now been opened up to everyone as a standalone venue. The signature cocktails on offer incorporate Chinese spices, herbs and house infusions, so a riff on an Old Fashioned uses whisky infused with Peking duck fat and the A.Wong Negroni features star anise, sichuan pepper and cinnamon. Sweet and sour ribs, special fried rice, honey roast pork and pulled noodle cracker with wagyu beef & pomelo salad are amongst a short list of snacks created by Wong especially for the bar.
Open now, awong.co.uk/forbidden-city-bar
