Where to drink mulled wine in London

From November to December, you can find Christmas markets all over London. Packed with all things festive, these bustling markets feature a wide variety of stalls selling everything from Christmas decorations to food and drink. This includes all sorts of mulled potions, from classics such as hot wine and cider to more unusual choices such as gin or even beer. Find the best Christmas markets in London with the help of our guide.

Covered floor-to-ceiling with all sorts of knickknacks an explorer such as Jules Verne's fictional Phileas Fogg might bring back from his adventures, Mr Fogg's Tavern is a pretty wondrous place any day of the year, but gets an extra sprinkling of magic during the festive season. In the cosy drinking den in the heart of London, you can warm up with one of their seasonal drinks, ranging from mulled wine to punches.

After you've spent an hour or so zooming around on the ice, a nice mug of mulled wine or mulled cider is sure to hit the spot. The various seasonal ice-skating rinks that pop up around the city during the festive months are usually accompanied by various food and drink stalls, including those cooking up batches of the timeless winter classic that is hot wine. We've rounded up the best ice-skating rinks in London right here.

Plume in Covent Garden is a chic wine bar that hides a cosy speakeasy nook in its basement, adorned with a stunning peacock-themed mural. In addition to the comprehensive wine list, Plume celebrates the festive season with its mulled wine, prepared according to a secret recipe. PS – the so-called Mulled Wine Tavern can also be found at the Southbank Centre's Christmas market and the Waterloo Street Food Market.

Plume's younger sibling Finch Wine Bar is an intimate spot in Brixton Village that showcases a changing selection of works by Brixton artists, in addition to serving small, experimental wines from around the world. The snug venue with both indoor and outdoor seating also offers the Grays and Feather group's mulled wine during winter, prepared according to a secret family recipe.

The Royal Inn on the Park is a pub right next to the lush Victoria Park in East London. Swing by for one of their banging Sunday roasts, which you can enjoy outside in their leafy garden overlooking the park or in the cosy indoors. Wash it all down with a cup of hot mulled wine – perfect for chilly al fresco drinking.

Each season, this iconic East London bar decks its rooftop out to suit the weather, usually complete with a theme which sees the decor, drinks, and food options all shift to complement this. This also includes winter, and this year, their wintery masquerade-themed rooftop includes a silky Venetian bramble mulled wine made with Absolut vodka or Beefeater pink gin.

The Hawk's Nest, set in a former railway arch inside Shepherd's Bush Market, was recently converted into a magical winter woodland garden. The heated space is ideal for sipping on a mug of something warm, including their fragrant mulled wine made with orange, cinnamon, star anise and more. They also serve a silky smooth mulled sloe gin for those who don't fancy the red.

This little hidden spot in the heart of Borough Market is putting on a show this year for Christmas. Expect a three-course festive meal paired with top-quality mulled wine. They claim that every sip of their mulled wine is a festive celebration. We'll cheers to that.

This cherished local 16th-century pub in Hampstead Heath not only overlooks the rolling pastures of the Heath, but it's also one of the best spots to celebrate the festive season this year. Sip on their tasty mulled Cabernet Sauvignon wine and snack on seasonal specials in a cosy, quintessentially British boozer.

This classic Grade I-listed London pub was built in 1837, perched right on the edge of the river, and is a popular spot to grab a bite to eat and a drink in Greenwich. Come Christmas time, they serve a hot toddy – a warming drink combining water, whiskey, honey and lemon juice – as well as great mulled wine and grog – a drink once drank commonly by the Royal Navy. Enjoy yours sat next to the roaring fireplace.

Fancy pairing your mulled wine with a spot of axe throwing? You can do just that at Whistle Punks in Oxford Circus. This cool spot is Europe's largest axe-throwing venue, and they go all out at Christmas, serving hot steaming mugs of mulled wine and more pigs in blankets than you can shake a stick at. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a solid Christmas get-together. 

Market Halls Victoria has transformed their rooftop into a winter wonderland with two covered heated terraces. Sip on their seasonal festive cocktails and steaming mugs of hot mulled wine with a blanket to keep you extra toasty. Your festive experience is enhanced by sparkling fairy lights and a bar boasting epic views of London's skyline.