Drink
BRILLIANT CORNERS
- Monday: 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Tuesday: 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Wednesday: 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Thursday: 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Friday: 5:00 PM – 1:30 AM
- Saturday: 5:00 PM – 1:30 AM
- Sunday: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM
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.
THE DRAPERS ARMS
- Monday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 10:30 PM
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 10:30 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 10:30 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 10:30 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 10:30 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM, 7:00 – 10:30 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 8:30 PM
This Islington pub boasts one of the best Sunday roasts in London but there’s lots to enjoy at The Drapers Arms for the other six days of the week. The bar is stocked with craft ales and lagers, there’s an excellent wine list with a heavy focus on European bottles, and the daily changing menu is filled with great gastropub dishes, such as red prawns, fennel & bisque, Toulouse sausages with lentils & mustard dressing, whole megrim sole with brown butter & brown shrimps, and mixed berry fool with raspberry coulis & shortbread. The smart dining room is the perfect place for a long lunch and if the sun is shining, you can’t beat a pint or two out in the garden.
BAR DASKAL
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 3:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Wednesday: 3:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Thursday: 3:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Friday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Saturday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Sunday: Closed
Bar Daskal, named after owners Sam and James Harts’ artist grandfather Vladimir Daskaloff and inspired by his home and studio in Estellencs, Mallorca (some of his work will even be exhibited in the space), is a wine bar with a focus on Spanish wine and sherry. The list features a mix of Barrafina faves and new by-the-glass options, alongside a short selection of cocktails, including the Agua de Valencia (with gin, blood orange & Cadiz fizz), and the Clara (Estrella, grapefruit & lemon sherbet). You’re also able to nibble on cold tapas like gildas, anchovies, air-dried tuna with olive oil & hazelnuts, chorizo Iberico, Manchego & La Retorta cheese, and pinxto de tortilla con aioli.
107
- Monday: 3:00 – 10:00 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
- Thursday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
- Friday: 2:00 – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 2:00 – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 2:00 – 10:00 PM
The Clapton wine bar formerly known as P.Franco had quite the 2023 – in mid-March, the beloved site suddenly closed (as did sibling sites Noble Fine Liquor and Bright due to financial negligence on the part of the parent company). Thankfully manager Will Gee fought the good fight and managed to bring P.Franco back through a crowdfunding campaign, though it’s now trading under the name 107 (hopefully only temporarily). The name may be new but the ethos is very much the same – a stellar wine selection and pop-ups from the hottest chefs and big-name international wine producers.
BAR CRISPIN
- Monday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 1:00 – 4:00 PM, 5:00 – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 1:00 – 6:00 PM
A Central London spin-off bar from Spitalfields fave Crispin, Bar Crispin is all about small-scale producers, seasonal sharing plates and sustainability. The natural wine list leans heavily towards Europe, with bottles coming from across the continent, from Beaujolais to Tenerife. The team is always evolving it too, so once some of the wines are gone, they’re gone for good. Once you’ve got the wine sorted, don’t let the food pass you by – the kitchen is cooking up dishes like native oysters with shallots, anchovy & potato focaccia with salsa verde, beef tartare with smoked egg yolk & puffed wheat berries, flatfish of the day with broad beans & citrus butter, and black garlic ice cream with choc tuile.
EQUAL PARTS
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM – 10:30 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 10:30 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Just up the road from the original Sager + Wilde is Michael Sager’s latest cocktail bar Equal Parts. The distinctive, green-tiled corner building on Hackney Road showcases European Aperitif and Amaro culture, with some mezcal and records thrown in too. The bar has been decked out with a Hi-Fi sound system, with the help of north London specialists Audio Gold, so they can play a selection of vinyl. The interior design has been carefully considered (as you’d expect by the looks of the outside), with a bespoke zinc bar top, bronze mirrored back bar, Venetian blinds, Japanese wood panelling and vintage reclaimed 1960s Czech lighting all on the ground floor. Downstairs, a large hand-carved oak table takes centre stage with space for private events of up to 30 people.
PLANQUE
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 6:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday: 6:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 6:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 6:00 – 11:30 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 4:00 PM, 6:00 – 11:30 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Planque is an uber-stylish wine bar and restaurant in Haggerston with an enviable collection of rare bottles. The menu, which is designed to be shared, focuses heavily on French flavours and you can be sure that the FOH team will steer you right on a pairing wine. Aside from the restaurant, Planque has a membership (that’s where their tagline ‘a wine drinker’s clubhouse’ comes in) which is designed to be a community for like-minded winos and entitles you to access to their private lounge and dining room, as well as a bunch of exclusive events.
THE GEORGE
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 8:00 PM
Fitzrovia isn’t short of a few boozers but there’s not many that can boast a menu designed by a two Michelin star chef. The George, part of the JKS stable, has just that, with culinary director James Knappett (of Kitchen Table) overseeing the food and publican Dom Jacobs running the show. From looks alone you can tell that The George is a cut above the average pub. The 18th century building is Grade-II listed so lots of period details, including wood panelling, plasterwork, gilded mirrors and enamel paintings have been kept, with a recent refurbishment adding a nice bit of polish. Pub classics are very much the name of the game but with lots of little details pushing things up a gear. There’s bacon jam and jalapeño mascarpone dip for some very good, heavily seasoned buttermilk fried chicken; a tangy Worcestershire sauce ketchup to accompany molten Welsh rarebit croquettes; and red curry seasoning and sriracha & kewpie mayo dip to liven up a pot of pork scratchings. Don’t miss the fish & chips or the sticky toffee pudding either!
This stripped-back natural wine bar is one of Copenhagen’s best. There’s always a good selection by the glass, or you can just grab a bottle from the shop to enjoy at one of the high top tables or on the outdoor terrace. If you’re hungry, there’s plates of charcuterie and cheese to tuck in to, or you could check out Poulette next door, a fried chicken sandwich shop from the same owners.
This cute bottle shop and bar from the Bicycle cider brewery is well worth a stop. They have 10 ciders on draft, including many from their own brewery, as well as guest brews and tons to take away from the fridges in the bottle shop. There’s not a huge amount of space to sit in, but what tables they do have also come with old SNES consoles, so you can play a bit of 90s Mario Kart while you sip on craft cider.
Given Copenhagen is its home city, there’s no shortage of Mikkeller bars around town. If you’re in Copenhagen on a sunny day / night, however, it’s worth hopping on a bike out to the Baghaven location. It’s in an old industrial bit of the city and is located right on the water’s edge. There’s tons of outdoor seating so you can enjoy freshly brewed beers while looking out of the ocean and the city skyline in the distance. Reffen street food market is also right net door – it’s not the greatest food, but if you’re having a good time in the sun then the location makes it worth hanging around for.
SALTS TERRASSA BAR MONTJUÏC
This bar isn’t going to win any awards for its food and drink, but what it does have is a very cool setting at the top of the steps of Barcelona’s old Olympic swimming pool. If you find yourself climbing up to Montjuic Park, then this is a great place to relax with a drink and an ice cream afterwards, with amazing views of the city and the old pool and rows of stadium seating below.