The venue has another new owner, new look and new head chef
Originally constructed as a power station for the Great Eastern Railway, the Light Bar in Shoreditch has been through a number of iterations since it was converted into a restaurant and bar in 2000. Following closure in 2014 (after the building was saved from redevelopment), it was relaunched in 2021, and five years on, it’s being relaunched again.
Rob Star, the founder of Electric Star Pubs and Eastern Electrics Festival, is now the owner, and for The Light Bar 3.0, he’s refreshing the interiors (with a mezzanine bar platform and a 10ft disco ball chandelier in the main space) and curating a DJ and music events line-up for third floor club space The Timber Loft.
He’s also installing new head chef Jake Aycliffe (ex-Rogues) in the kitchen, who’ll be doing a menu that showcases the best seasonal British produce. As well as all-day brunch on Saturdays and roasts on Sundays, he’ll be cooking dishes like:
- spiced beetroot samosas with mint chutney
- chestnut & onion sausage roll with HP sauce
- whisky cured sea trout with créme fraîche, orange and turnip
- The Light Bar dry-aged beef burger with red Leicester fondue, relish, and rocket
- Iron-age pork steak with cranberries and sumac crackling
- dark chocolate ganache with Williams pear and ginger snap
- sticky toffee pudding with miso caramel and spiced cream cheese
Speaking about the re-opening, Rob Star said: “This one is a no-brainer for me. I came as a punter back in the day when it was The Light, and it was always one of my favourite places to party. It’s an iconic Shoreditch building and I’m proud to be responsible for its next incarnation. We’ve got big plans for 2026, and cannot wait to get the Light Bar officially relaunched and shining bright again next month!”
The last relaunch was underwhelming and even pulling in good chefs didn’t help, so we’re intrigued to see how this one goes.
Key Information
Opening date | Sun 1st February 2026
Address | 233 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6PJ
For more information | lightbarlondon.com
