Mayfair has a new hidden bar, and you’ll find it below the bagels

There’s a new speakeasy in W1, and you’ll have to walk through a bagel shop to find it.

In October, No.1 Princes Street opened its hidden downstairs bar, bringing a taste of New York’s underground drinking culture to Mayfair. The bagel house first opened in September, serving naturally fermented, handmade bagels and specialty coffee by day. Now, once the sun goes down, guests can head down a staircase inside the venue to discover an intimate late-night cocktail bar.

Upstairs, the focus is on doing the basics properly. Natural fermentation gives the dough time to develop flavour, which is what gives a good bagel its chewy bite, glossy crust and subtle tang, a world away from the soft, bready versions found in supermarket packs. Pair one with a flat white and the daytime counter makes a strong case for itself before you even know there’s a bar below.

The concept takes its cue from New York’s famous hidden bars. Please Don’t Tell, one of the city’s best-known, is tucked behind a hot dog shop; here, the secret sits beneath a bagel counter. At PDT, drinkers step into a vintage phone booth inside Crif Dogs in the East Village and dial through to be let in. It’s a piece of theatre that has inspired imitators around the world, and No.1 Princes Street gives the idea a London twist: no secret phone, just a staircase that most daytime customers will walk straight past.

That sense of discovery is a big part of the appeal. Speakeasies trace their roots to Prohibition-era America, when drinking went underground out of necessity, and the thrill of being in on a secret has never quite worn off.

The cocktail list leans into the New York theme. Signatures include the No.1 Princes Martini, a Caviar Martini, the Tomatini, and a Vesper, alongside modern classics such as a Mezcal Negroni and a Rhubarb Bellini. The Vesper, made famous by James Bond in Casino Royale, blends gin, vodka and a French aperitif wine for a drink that’s crisp, strong and unapologetically old-school, while the Caviar Martini adds a touch of Mayfair luxury. There are also fine wines, Champagne, and craft beers, with DJs playing from Thursday to Saturday, when the room shifts from quiet nightcap territory to something livelier.

And there’s more to come. A festive menu is on its way, and the downstairs bar is getting into the Christmas spirit as December approaches. Think toasty bagels piled high with tender roast turkey, melting brie and sweet-sharp cranberry, finished with a handful of crisp kale. Christmas dinner, in bagel form.

Whether you come for a bagel at breakfast or a Martini at midnight, it pays to know which staircase to take.

The bar is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 3pm to midnight, Thursday and Friday from 3pm to 1am, and Saturday from noon to 1am. It is closed on Sunday and Monday.

No.1 Princes Street is located at 1 Princes Street, Mayfair, London W1B 2AY. Find out more at no1princes.com or on Instagram and TikTok at @no1princes.