If you’ve been down the stretch of Kingsland Road between Haggerston and Dalston Junction and seen a green neon glow around the one of the bars where Pamela’s used to be, that’s Ellie’s. Best known for doing £8 martinis all day and all night (the other cocktails are also great), Ellie’s also plays host to some seriously cool events, including readings, supper clubs, and Charli XCX’s wedding party.
"Tiny bar, big heart. The £8 martinis are the headline act (and they’re properly made), but it’s the lovely, welcoming team and easy, good-time atmosphere that keep people coming back. Now a proper neighbourhood gem that reminds you why Dalston does bars so well. Must try: Vodka Martini"
"Hidden in plain sight on Kingsland Road, this sultry little speakeasy trades big bar chaos for velvet draped intimacy. Expect sharp, spirit-forward cocktails, candlelight, and a crowd where all are welcome. Ask the bartender and they create to your taste."
Warehaus, on Kingsland Road but further up into Dalston, is the production space for A Bar With Shapes For A Name, where all the cocktails and ice served at the cocktail bar are created. But since April 2024, Warehaus has also been open as a bar in its own right, showcasing the extraction, distillation and batching processes with a rotating menu of cocktails that make use of production by-products. All the serves are £12 with a Haus Margarita on for seven quid. As it’s still very much functioning as a production facility, the areas inside Warehaus are set according to their function – either storage, preparation or production – so it has a different look and vibe to Shapes but it’s just as cool.
"From the A Bar with Shapes for a Name team, this Dalston spot feels more like a creative studio than a typical cocktail bar. Expect playful prebatched serves, experimental flavours and a crowd that is here to try something new. Casual, social and quietly cool. Must try: the Dulce De Leche Espresso Martini"
Kingsland Road isn’t short of good cocktails but 392 is one of the best. The menu is all killer, no filler, with serves like the Bell Gibson (tequila, sweet pepper shrub and chartreuse) and the Morning Drift (white rum, hojicha, coconut and honey), and they’ll shake up a classic cocktail if you ask. It’s worth staying for food too as they always have some interesting residents in the kitchen, and the bar also hosts regular jazz nights.
"A Dalston classic for people who care about what’s in their glass. Seasonal menus, proper technique and flavours that feel thought-through rather than showy. Small, intimate, and dangerously easy to settle into for the night. Must try: Lil Green Olive."
Listening bars and audio-focused restaurants have gone through a renaissance in London but Dalston’s Brilliant Corners was one of the first to do it, opening way back in 2013. The Kingsland Road spot specialises in Japanese small plates, live jazz and DJ sets. The sound system is world class and there are always expert selectors passing through, so music fans are in for a treat. The food and drink offering is just as good, with izakaya-inspired plates like tuna maki, beef tataki, tofu korokke with miso aioli, chicken karaage and sashimi moriawase with ponzu on the menu, complemented by mezcal margs, miso highballs and natural wines.
"A listening bar first, cocktail spot second but the drinks still hold their own. Japanese-influenced serves, vinyl-only sound system and a crowd that appreciates both. Start mellow, end dancing. Must try: White Negroni."
James Dye, the co-owner of Frank’s Café in Peckham and The Camberwell Arms, has opened new music-led wine bar and restaurant Bambi on the former site of Bright. Named after his great grandma and not the Disney deer, Bambi features a high-spec vintage sound system, a DJ booth and a custom-built wall of records, with both the collection and programme (DJs will spin until 1am on the weekends) curated by DJ, musician, poet and Run Dem Crew founder Charlie Dark MBE. Henry Freestone, who won a Bib Gourmand at Peckham Cellars, is heading up the kitchen at Bambi, serving coffee and deli-style sarnies like chicken caesar focaccia and corned beef with mustard & pickles during the day, and an evening menu featuring dishes like cauliflower cheese arancini; braised butter beans with kale & goat’s curd; and chicken parm ciabatta with vodka marinara, pickles & aioli. As for wine, the list centres around natural and low-intervention wines from around the world, with a strong by-the-glass selection and bottles available to buy to take home.
"Just reopened with more space, this is a wine bar-meets-cocktail hangout-meets DJ-led hotspot. Natural wines, clever mixed drinks and a soundtrack that keeps the room buzzing. Come for one, stay for the whole night. Must try: the Blackberry Clover Club or the Pickle Martini"
"Jazz bar, cocktail den and late-night sanctuary rolled into one. Expect elegant drinks, low lighting and live music that turns a casual drink into the perfect date spot. Must try: the Rampai"
