Tucked away in a charming, dimly lit space reminiscent of European gems, this atmospheric basement bar offers a vibrant mix of culture and cocktails amidst the West End hustle.
"From the live band on the stage to the distressed basement walls, there is something distinctly Left Bank Paris about this moody bar on Shaftesbury Avenue. Below Stone Nest’s concise cocktail menu keeps things simple for anyone who’s indecisive and the abundance of tea lights keeps the group hang tone set to sophisticated. But with a closing time of 2am from Wednesday to Saturday, we can’t promise things will stay completely sophisticated. Know that it’s walk-in-only, but we’ve never had a problem just rocking up. You might have to lean at the bar then pounce on a free table if there are a few of you. " - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna
"Like success montages in films and hormone-driven first loves, being moody is at its best when it has a great soundtrack. Enter Below Stone Nest, a basement bar on Shaftesbury Avenue that feels distinctly Left Bank Paris and has live jazzy saxophone performances. The concise cocktail menu keeps things simple for anyone who just wants to pose with a classic negroni. And the abundance of tealights keeps things sexy for anyone in the market for a little late night seduction. It’s open until 2am from Wednesday to Saturday, and although it’s walk-in only, we’ve never had a problem rocking up and getting straight in. " - rianne shlebak, jake missing, heidi lauth beasley
"This guide puts us in a very difficult position. On the one hand our sacred oath to Tell The People Of London About Good Bars means that that we have to disclose that this moody basement bar on Shaftesbury Avenue has live music, is open until 2am throughout the week, and everything from the paloma to the lupé margarita is £8.50. On the other hand, we love that every time we’ve rocked up, we’ve been able to walk right in and therefore don’t really want anyone else to know about it. Fine, professionalism wins out but trust us, once you’ve spent an evening here, chatting over candlelight and sipping a whisky sour while the saxophone player really lets loose, you won’t want anyone else to know about it either." - heidi lauth beasley
"Heading to a bar in Soho doesn’t feel particularly casual but you know what does? An £8.50 negroni. The moody basement bar on Shaftesbury Avenue has a lot of things going for it. Namely, it's a massive, candlelit industrial space with groovy music that mixes groups of friends getting progressively (and more entertainingly) drunk, with lust-struck couples getting one more drink until the early hours of the morning. Best of all, you can’t book. So, take your chances or, even better, distract a bouncer and walk straight in." - heidi lauth beasley, rianne shlebak, jake missing
"Negronis want you to be drunk. They want you to dance and sing and pose for indulgent selfies and be so happy you forget your sunglasses are on your head. Sometimes they also want you to stain your white shirt fluorescent red at 6pm but that’s a conversation for a different time. The point is Below Stone Nest is the ultimate good time negroni enabler. This moody basement bar on Shaftesbury Avenue has distressed walls, an abundance of tealights on the small circular tables, and—CC: the gin rushing through your veins—live jazz music. The negronis here are simplicity at its finest: that tinkle sound of the ice cubes, one great slice of lemon, and the delightful price of £8.50. " - heidi lauth beasley, daisy meager
