A friend of mine is visiting London this week and asked me for absinthe bar recommendations. I don't know why because I've never been to London. The best I could do for her was the list from POPs book. Anybody got any suggestions?

I was in London last week and didn't find any bars serving absinthe. But then again, I spend most of the time looking for shops selling it instead - there is a handful of adresses on the LDF web site.

There's this place called Vinopolis at the Bankside - they have wine tastings, some of them including absinthe (probably Un Emile - they sell it in their shop). I think they have some sort of bar too.

From what I've heard, La Fee is the typical fare in London bars serving absinthe. Be sure, however, to warn your friend against Czeckerland crap - the shops are full of it, and chances are that some bars will be too.

I heard that Hill's was readily available in the bars there so I warned her against that. She has little experience with absinthe...in fact I think she had her first glass of it at my place a few months ago. And I did give her the LdF list of vendors as well.

Thanks for the tip on Vinopolis though...I'll pass that along.