Jack Solomons Club - Soho, London

Bars and boxing gyms are both great places to lose a few braincells, so it's fitting that one of central London's most sought-after new cocktail bars is located on the same site as a boxing gym. It also takes the name of its owner and one of the city's most famous promoters: Mr Jack Solomon. It's quite a recondite kind of place, tucked away on Great Windmill Street underneath an afterhours deli which is very much Soho. You ring the bell to gain access to the club, then descend down a tight set of stairs past a glass wall with views into the kitchen before entering an astonishingly large subterranean space imbued with the sonics of a live band.

The design takes its cues from the 1940s and 1950s (Jack's heyday) with a smouldering mid-century modern design with many nods to Art Deco. These include pewter metal bar counters, shaded velvet furnishings, red leather walls, banker's lamps and wall sconces. The room is really quite spacious and would lend itself to big bookings or parties. For drinks, the watchword at Jack Solomons Club is whisky, which was the big guy's choice liquor.

We made our way through a number of their cocktails and were duly impressed. The Nipper Morris, named for one of Solomons' favourite fighter, was made with Glenfiddich 12 year, plum syrup, lemon juice and egg white in a stunning twist on the whisky sour. We were similarly taken with the Black Jack, a smoky amalgam of Laphroaig, maraschino liqueur and lime juice, which helped to relax the nerves. There's a menu of small bites as well that leans towards seafood.

Speakeasies are a dime for a dozen these days, but if you want one that's truly hidden, with an amazing range of cocktails, come here.