This has been a chaotic year for bars in London. Bars have opened, bars have closed, bars have been refurbished. Even though this was the year when the credit crunch took hold it seems that Londoners are still discerning enough to want decent bars and pubs to enjoy a quality drink. With this in mind, we take a look back at the best bars in London 2008.

Central London
Bars in Central London will always be popular, and there have been a lot of new openings in the heart of our fair capital. North London
Islington lead the way in 2008 for the sheer volume of bars to open their doors for the first time. North London has done well this year. South London
South London continued to prove that venues south of the river can easily compete with the West End and beyond. Some of the best bars and pubs to open this year have come from the Southern areas. East London
East London continued its boom in 2008 with a huge explosion of new bars and pubs, quickly filling up with the skinny jean brigade and those looking for a taste of East End charm. West London
West London impressed this year. Westfield wasn’t the only big launch of 2008, the selection of new bars and pubs in the area has also been well received.