Running from 22–28 June, Taste The Orient brings together 45 Asian bars and restaurants across the capital for a week-long celebration of cocktails, food pairings and flavours inspired by Asia. Created by the team behind London Cocktail Week and The Orientalist Spirits, it’s a chance to discover everything from hidden speakeasies and rooftop bars to some of London’s most celebrated dining destinations.
From hidden speakeasies and listening bars to rooftop destinations and Michelin-starred dining rooms, here’s your guide to the Taste The Orient cocktail trail through Soho, Chinatown, Mayfair and Covent Garden.
Soho
The Listening Room at MOI
Where cocktails, sake, food and music share equal billing, The Listening Room at MOI has quickly become one of Soho’s most interesting bars.
Try: Ramen Koke (£16) – The Orientalist Imperial Solera Rum, house-made cola soda, kokuto-miso caramel and lime.
Or opt for the Koji Sansho (£16), combining The Orientalist Gunpowder Gin, koji-almond orgeat and delicate sansho foam.
SOMA Soho
Hidden beneath Soho’s streets, SOMA is a modern speakeasy inspired by flavours from India and beyond.
Try: Banana (£14) – The Orientalist Imperial Solera Rum, banana cordial, warming curried tincture and ginger ale.
Yauatcha
A Soho favourite known for dim sum, tea and cocktails.
Try: Tale of the Dragon (£16), or £18 with a Matcha Tiramisu pairing. The cocktail combines coconut fat-washed whisky, maple leaf infusion, umeshu and chocolate bitters for a rich and indulgent serve.
Chinatown
Experimental Cocktail Club
Tucked behind an unmarked doorway in Chinatown, ECC is serving three festival cocktails including the tropical Red Meridian (£12), the refreshing Mangosteen Fizz (£13) and the umami-led Black Forest Manhattan (£14) infused with shiitake mushrooms.
Archive & Myth
Located inside the Hippodrome Casino, Archive & Myth pairs cocktails with food throughout the festival.
Highlights include the Pickle Rickey (£16) paired with Salt & Pepper Prawns and the Rising Star Martini (£16)paired with Steamed Garlic Scallops.
Opium Chinatown
Known for its theatrical cocktails and hidden location above Chinatown.
Try: Citrus Ritual (£15), featuring yuzu, salted lemon cordial and freshly grated Buddha’s Hand citrus.
Covent Garden
Dim Sum Library
Tea sits at the heart of the cocktail programme here.
Try: Steam & Spirit (£15), a pandan-infused rum cocktail presented steaming from a bamboo basket and paired with Dan Dan Xiao Long Bao.
19FiftySeven
London’s first Malaysian speakeasy.
Try: Gu You Martini (£14), inspired by Malaysia’s butter-enriched kopi culture and finished with silky vegan kopi foam.
8 at The Londoner
A rooftop destination pairing skyline views with Japanese-inspired cocktails.
Try: The Dark Knight (£14), combining whisky, sakura tea, goji liqueur and black cherry.
Mayfair
Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay
A Tokyo-inspired destination serving two festival cocktails: Akai Ito (£20) and Between The Moon (£19).
Hakkasan Mayfair
One of London’s most iconic Chinese restaurants.
Festival highlights include the Signature Dirty Martini (£18) and Lychee Martini (£18).
Tamarind
London’s first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant.
Try: Vetiveria (£30 with food), pairing whisky, yuzu and Indian vetiver syrup with griddled Scottish scallops and oscietra caviar.
Sexy Fish
Head Bartender “2026 Best Mixologist”,Sam Page has created two festival cocktails: Wintermelon Sour (£10) and Pomelo Negroni (£10), both available with dedicated food pairings.
Taste The Orient
Taste The Orient runs from 22–28 June across 45 venues in London. For more information and the full line-up, visit the festival website www.tastetheorient.com
My Soho Times Lifestyle Team | Images courtesy of Taste The Orient