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COCKTAILS:

Freud, 198 Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2

Ahh Freud – nothing about this popular cocktail bar (and café I’m told, but don’t know anyone who uses it as such) is as cold and analytical as the name might suggest. You’ll find the place packed with a wide range of thirsty punters in search of its famous drinks, which are fairly priced, generously measured and memorably named. It’s an ideal stop if you’re in central London and in between destinations.

Insider tip? Get yourself a Manza – it’s an appley boozy snifter that will quench your thirst and send you on your way.

BELGIAN BEER:

Lowlander Grand Café, 36 Drury Lane, WC2B 5RR

You don’t have to travel all the way to Brussels to get your hands on a proper Belgian brew. Lowlander prides itself on having over 15 beers on draught and 50 by the bottle. Its menu calls for the decisive customer; you could spend the whole day sampling the vast range. Simplify things by organising a beer tasting – starting at £15.50, they include Belgian cheese, charcuterie, bread and double Dutch fries. Mmm!

Insider tip? Check out their wheat beer selection – they’re fruity, refreshing and often overlooked at London pubs.

WHISKEY:

Albannach, Trafalgar Square, SC2N

The attraction of Albannach is its sheer variety of whiskies (of which there are over 120 to choose from). The Scottish bar and restaurant aims to surprise guests with a range that includes a 50-year-old Balvenie that’ll set you back £760 a shot, alongside more reasonably priced, but top quality whiskies such as the Ardbeg Uigeadail, which goes for £10 a shot.

Insider tip? “What grows together, goes together,” says sommelier Jonathan Abarbanel who suggests pairing a classic Scottish dish like the Inverawe smoked salmon with a full-bodied scotch.

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