A high end DJ bar and restaurant in the Old Town end of Clapham, Grafton House really sets a high precedence for great cocktails and fantastic food in South London.

The Venue
A five minute walk from Clapham Common tube finds you in a venue so far from common you could be forgiven for forgetting where you are. The decor at Grafton House is luxuriously loungey, with deep leather seats, dark wooden tables and alcoves for privacy. The beautifully lit bar is glass-shelf stocked to the ceiling with every respectable and renowned brand of vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila and liqueurs. The sliding glass doors span the length of the outside and fully open up in the summer to give the entire venue that al fresco feeling.

The Atmosphere
The clientele at Grafton House are likely to look as good as the decor – everyone will have made an effort, particularly on the weekend. There is an unmistakable West End buzz here; however, as it is full of professional locals it has a friendliness you would be hard pushed to find in such plush surroundings on the other side of the river. The bar staff know their bar stuff and are happy to help with those spoilt for choice (which you will be).

The Music
This bar has gained a reputation for rocking Friday and Saturday nights, open until 1am with well-known house DJs keeping the crowd happy. The queue is often down the road, so try to get there before 10pm on the weekend.

The Food
Grafton House has an excellent restaurant around the back of the bar and is definitely worth a visit, although the bar bites provide a teasing taster and should be sampled. Rock oysters with aged red wine and shallot vinaigrette at £1.25 each are a house speciality and the honey and mustard cocktail sausages (£4.50) are a far cry from your usual party food.

The Drink
With a wine and Champagne list with something for those on a budget or those with a bonus and every spirit you could desire, you might be tempted to overlook the cocktail list. Don’t. It consists of some crazily concocted drinks that taste dreamily divine. The list is extensive, but with an average price of around £6, you could get through quite a bit of it before last orders. The Rosemary Margarita (£6.75) features homemade rosemary tequila and raspberries, lime juice, orange zest and a lot of fun! The Lancashire Rose (£6.75) is made with rose petal vodka and pomegranate mixed with apple juice and vanilla sugar and is sweetly delicious.

The Last Word
Grafton House would be at home in a centrally-located, upmarket neighbourhood. Thankfully, it is where it is and makes you feel at home as soon as you sit down and sip one of their mightily mixed cocktail creations. One visit will ensure it's a firm favourite for grown-up fun every day of the week.

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