Drink
HALF-CUT MARKET
Half Cut Market launched back in 2021, at the top of York Way in that halfway point between Caledonian Road and Kentish Town. It started as a bottle shop, deli and wine bar, with a rotating line-up of guest chefs, but has now settled more firmly into wine bar territory, though you can still buy bottles to take away (and there’ll still be be the odd pop-up). As part of this, there’s a new permanent head chef, a very lovely young chap called Aidan Richardson (only 28!). Aidan used to work at Brat amongst other places, so no surprise to see a few Basque touch points on the menu. Don’t miss the smoked ricotta and courgette on toast; the beef tartare crostini with lard and greengage; spring cabbage with Comte custard; the standout piri piri grilled monkfish; and the incredible chocolate and cherry eclair for dessert. Wine is a big part of the Half Cut experience of course and there’s an excellent line-up of bottles to choose from. The list is firmly in natural / low intervention territory, curated by Half Cut co-owner Holly Willcocks, who also heads up the wine program at Mountain in Soho.
Whether you’re not ready to call it a night yet or just longing for a classic house party like in the good old days, then Soho’s House Party is where it’s at. Bringing cocktails and pizza with a heavy side of nostalgia, the new concept bar is the brainchild of the Stormzy and hospo group Cream. Located on Poland Street, the venue’s huge with seven floors in total from the basement to the roof terrace. This means it’s guaranteed to cater for everyone in your group, from those usually found in the kitchen to the wannabes hogging the microphone at karaoke, and even the friends who want to keep it chill kicking back on the sofa playing retro video games. Best bit? You won’t be left with the tidying up in the morning.
There’s been a pub at this address, tucked down a mews in Marylebone, since 1777 – it’s now known as The Jackalope and it’s still going strong today. The pub has 18 beers, from a mix of big hitters and indie breweries, on tap but the real gem here is to be found downstairs where Chongqing noodle specialist Liu Xiaomian is in residence. With Chongqing xiaomian, wheat noodles in an aromatic broth with toppings like minced pork & chickpea, spicy beef and spicy pig trotter; hot & sour glass noodles; and numbing pork wontons on the menu, it’s food for those of you who like it HOT.
This restored Victorian pub on Hackney Road has bags of style thanks to the brown tiles on the facade, the wood panelling in the bar and dark leather banquettes (plus a more modern and minimalist dining room upstairs). Run by ex-St JOHN pair Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram, there’s also a cracking seasonal British menu to match. The beef & barley bun has become something of a signature, as have the pies, but there are also oysters, cured and smoked fish, chops and steaks, Sunday roasts, and puds like brown butter & honey tart to get stuck into. There are local brews on the bar too, alongside a carefully curated wine list and cocktails featuring housemade cordials and shrubs.
Formerly operating as SushiHeads, this Tottenham spot run by Naomi Simpson now goes by the name Metcha Matcha, after she pivoted away from serving sushi and sashimi. Raw fish may be off the menu but food isn’t – you can now get a range of onigiri, sandwiches and baked goods, and there’s still a selection of Japanese groceries available too. Drinks-wise, there a bunch of Japanese lattes on offer, including matcha, hojicha (which has less caffeine) and kurogoma (made from black sesame paste).
New Theory Is Putting on a Summer of Love (Bite) Wine Party in Peckham
New Theory (FKA Nouveau) is gearing up for their next wine rave – and this time they’re coming to Peckham Arches. The free-entry Summer of Love (Bite) party kicks off at 1pm and lasts until 8pm, with DJs all day – including Don Wella and Roo – plus BBQ provided by none other than Ruben’s Reubens. Of course, there’ll be plenty of the titular Love Bite on offer too (Love Bite, a Beaujolais-style chilled red from the Stellenbosch area), as well as Love Bite margaritas to really bring the summer vibes home.
Sun 28th July 2024, 1pm – 8pm
Peckham Arches, Blenheim Grove, London SE15 4QN
@drinknewtheory
After closing Larry’s in Peckham, Mark Gurney and Matt Bushnell flipped the site into Bar Levan, a Parisian-inspired wine bar serving European natural wines, aperitifs, mezcals and small plates. There are lots of organic and biodynamic bottles alongside older vintages and one-offs served by the glass. The regular menu features dishes like miso devilled eggs, guinea fowl terrine, croque monsieur, beef tartare, and Basque cheesecake, and there are also spesh dinners that celebrate classic French delicacies. With a vintage sound system playing vinyl inspired by the bar’s namesake Larry Levan, the vibes are always in point too.
BEASY
After turning a Soho barbershop into a speakeasy-style cocktail bar Beasy in 2019, founder Gabriel Iliopoulos gave the space a revamp in 2022, adding outdoor seating on Greek Street, a hidden bar (essentially your own private living room) available for events, and a new food menu. That means as well as signature cocktails – we’re talking spicy margs, mezcal negronis and pornstar martinis – you can tuck into corn ribs, smacked cucumber with goma dressing, fried chicken with furikake and sweet mustard, tater tots loaded with gherkins and crispy onions, and a range of gourmet hot dogs.
After converting the small space next to the main restaurant into a shop during lockdown, the Trullo team has since turned it into a tiny bar. It’s a concise offering (for a concise space) with a well curated rotating by-the-glass selection, featuring mostly low-intervention wines but there’s always a mix of old world classics and some underrated gems. If you’d rather something a bit stronger, there are a couple of cocktails, like sbagliatos, martinis and spritzes, on offer. You can pair your tipple of choice with snacks (which unsurprisingly have an Italian slant) such as courgette and sage fritti, crab crostini, salumi croquettes and stracciatella with cherries.
Usually reserved for those staying at the hotel, The Berkeley is opening up its rooftop bar to everyone this summer, and what a rooftop it is. You can sit by the pool and enjoy PATRON cocktails, including the Tequila Colada (with tequila, mango lassi, coconut cream, coconut water, vanilla & lime) and the Ultimate Knutarita (with tequila, shiso umeshu, pine, Cointreau, lime & spice) and a Mexican-inspired food menu. Dishes include make-your-own guacamole with tortilla chips; smoked lamb & saffron aioli, BBQ jackfruit & romano peppers and crispy Dover sole & sweetcorn tacos; and soft serve.
How do you make London’s hottest pub even hotter? Open a rooftop of course. And that’s just what Charlie Carroll, Oisín Rogers and Ashley Palmer-Watts have done at The Devonshire. The third floor is now home to a 40-cover roof terrace, serving the pub’s full menu of food and drink, including pints of the black stuff; Isle of Skye langoustines, Iberico pork ribs and beef chops cooked on the wood ember grill; as well as dishes like lamb hotpot and beef cheek & Guinness suet pudding.
Set in a Grade II-listed building (and nestled next to some of the oldest residential buildings in London), Cloth is all about seasonal food and an approachable list of excellent, affordable wines. The wine bar and restaurant is the result of a collaboration between two wine importers, Joe Haynes and Ben Butterworth, and a chef, Tom Hurst (whose impressive CV includes Brawn, The Marksman, Levan, Salon, Larry’s and, most recently, Lasdun). Expect seasonal dishes that celebrate the best of British produce, as well as a great value set menu on offer at lunch, priced at £25 for two courses and £29 for three. As for the wine, half of the list comprises bottles from Joe and Ben’s own import and supply businesses – including grower champagnes, new-wave Bordeaux and German wines. The other half is made up of wines from suppliers who champion small, independent, and sustainable producers (such as Emile Wines, The Winery, Fingal Rock, Carte Blanche, Winemakers Club and Raeburn). Plus, there are always by-the-glass options and £5 corkage on Mondays. Cheers to that.
Not content with bringing us modern Peruvian food, pisco sours and cocktail slushies, NYC import Llama Inn is giving us a real Shoreditch suntrap. The restaurant’s terrace, which has room for 50, boasts uninterrupted City views and as much sunshine as possible thanks to a south-facing position. And with new dishes like lamb empanada with olives & aji chimichurri, braised leeks with aji gazpacho & yuzu, and grilled chicken with baby gem salad & aji crema joining classics like the scallop, yuzu kosho & nori ceviche and whole baked seabass, you’ve got even more reason to get up on that roof.
Mexican–Japanese fusion spot Los Mochis has opened a second site in the City, taking up residence in a 14,000 sq ft space on the rooftop of 100 Liverpool Street, comprising a dining room, an agaveria bar and lounge, two private dining rooms and a massive 3000 sq ft covered and heated terrace. Not only is it one of the largest outdoor terraces in the capital, it’s got a 3am license, so after feasting on tacos, kushiyaki and rare tequilas, you can party until the early hours.
THREE SHEETS SOHO
The original Three Sheets in Dalston is easily one of the best bars in London nd now founders Noel and Max Venning have just opened a white-hot new outpost in the heart of Soho. Three Sheets Soho is located on Manette Street in a nice old narrow site that’s been given a very plush makeover. Anyone familiar with the original will recognise the marble topped bar, dark green colour scheme and classy, minimal branding. The drinks menu is largely unique to Soho, with a short, sharp selection of elegant cocktails, including the Cherry Americano, the Mango Ice Tea (with Pickled Mango, Cloud & Lapsang Teas and Rum) the Sazzaquack, a spin on a Sazerac (with Seven tails XO, Mexican Oregano, Verbena Berry, Rooibos tea, and Lemon Absinthe) served in a glass with a cute little glass duck at the bottom! Three Sheets Soho also has a short food menu, courtesy of ex-Lyle’s chef and butcher William Blank, which includes some seriously good salt beef sandwiches, mustard-coated triple cooked chips, and fresh oysters. A breakfast menu is available until noon too, featuring pastries and Dead Good coffee.
THE BRICKLAYERS ARMS
Great staff, real ales on the bar, a pool table, screens for when the footy’s on, The Bricklayers Arms has everything you could want from a local pub. That means it’s a pretty popular spot but it always has a great atmosphere.
THE COCK TAVERN
This classic Irish pub near King’s Cross is perfect for escaping the hustle of the city. It’s specifically known for the atmosphere during a game, especially when Celtic is playing, along with friendly staff and an interesting mix of customers. Good prices and great pints, what more could you want?
THE CROWN
The Crown has a traditional and old-school vibe that locals love. They may not have the best selection of real ales but they pour a mean pint of Guinness, and they’ve got a dart board, the true marker of a proper boozer. If you don’t fancy a game of darts, there’s usually sport on the TV.