East / Match EC1

A blue plaque at the side of Match EC1 proclaims: ‘It was behind this screen in 1997 that Mark Dodd first demonstrated the reverse plum manoeuvre.’ What’s that? A Heston Blumenthal baking experiment? A wince-inducing S&M move?

No, we don’t know either. Such eccen-tricity might seem wilful elsewhere, but nothing at Match seems try-hard: not the food menu littered with grass-fed, free-range ingredients; not the Greenwich Union micro-brewery beers; and certainly not the bartenders. Those instant smiles are warm, not functional, and the mixing is effortlessly confident, which is as it should be – the cocktail, in dizzying and diverse incarnations, is why you’re here.

Peer round the door from Clerkenwell Road and you’d be forgiven for not getting it straight away. The interior of this modestly-sized space, all low sofas, leather banquettes and sunset-hue pendant lampshades, is more upmarket ’70s bordello than industrial chic, the prevailing décor theme out East. But head down from the balcony entrance level to the bar, review the drinks menu, and all becomes clear.

Match is an original – as in ‘a unique idea that spawned a rash of imitators’ rather than ‘old’. Brainchild of self-confessed cocktail geek Jonathan Downey, ideas man behind members’ bars The Player and Milk & Honey, Match has been mixing here since 1997, aided for the last seven years by NYC ‘King of Cocktails’ Dale DeGroff. Alongside his novel signature recipes, the individual elements of classic standards shine just as brightly.

With fine grazing and a short but carefully selected wine list, Match is still just as much a destination bar as it was a decade ago – a destination not for a quick flirt and a cheeky pint, but for a languid evening of short waits for long drinks.

45-47 CLERKENWELL RD, CLERKENWELL EC1M 5RS

P / 0207 250 4002

T / FARRINGDON

matchbar.com

Filed under: East London, bars, drinking, east, East London, london

East / Drunken Monkey

The last thing you’d expect on busy, bar-packed Shoreditch High Street is this Shanghai surprise. The exterior is appealingly discreet, with a blue neon sign reading ‘dim sum all day’ signifying that this is something different from your regular boozy bar. It’s a dim-sum-meets-drinks concoction, the creation of Stephen Chan, who comes from a lineage of Chinese restaurateurs and honed his craft in the Opium Den and Jerusalem.

Step inside and it’s channelling 1960s Chinatown. The dim lighting comes from a canopy of red Chinese lanterns hanging above the bar. Ceiling fans whirr overhead in veritable colonial-veranda style, and dark wood and huge latticework-edged mirrors complete the look. Long banquettes line the main room, with large wooden tables and plenty of space. Even on a Friday night, it’s lively but not crowded, which adds to its appeal in an area where often you’ll spend half your evening queuing at the bar. Beers aplenty are on draught (John Smith’s, San Miguel, Kronenberg Blanc), but our tip is to plump for a cocktail: signature creations are classics given a unique twist, such as Monkey’s Whiskey Sour, which adds a cunning dash of maraschino cherry.

Hands-in-the-air house music is loud enough that people dance in the central space, undeterred by the lack of a dancefloor, and the crowd is good natured and unpretentious, another plus in London’s region of the post-ironic haircut. There’s an intimate snug at the back with space for two tables, and some steps up to another small area, perfect for sampling the delicious dim sum (served noon till midnight), with melt-in-the-mouth classics such as har gau (king prawn dumplings) and yummy cha siu bao (barbecued roast pork buns), the ideal way to counterbalance those cocktails. Bigger bites (and then sum) include noodle, rice and hotpot dishes – and any bar where you can order Peking duck gets our vote.

222 SHOREDITCH HIGH ST
SHOREDITCH
E1 6PJ

TELEPHONE
0207 392 9606

TUBE
BETHNAL GREEN

WEB
drunkenmonkey.co.uk

Filed under: East London

East / Lounge Lover

All you lounge lizards should look your finest when you head to Loungelover, as you’ll want to live up to your surroundings. A contender for London’s most divine-looking bar, Loungelover feels like a setting for a surreal and magical dream sequence. If a mad attic had a ménage a trois with Alice in Wonderland and the Magic Round-about it might look something like this.

The brother bar of high-camp restaurant Les Trois Garcons around the corner, it’s likewise owned and designed by Abdul Hassan and full of beautiful extraordinariness. A former meat-packing factory, it’s eclectic but uncluttered. Fernlike chandeliers and oriental lanterns dangle from the ceiling, and seating ranges from sculptural barstools to antique armchairs. There are doll’s houses, huge Chinese urns, anatomical studies and wooden fairground horses. There are distressed wooden sideboards, tables ornate and wood or low and glass-topped, and lights shaped like ships. There are flowers galore, a VIP area caged off with wrought-iron, a huge battered tapestry, and taxidermy (a roaring hippo). A cocktail of things equals a great place to drink cocktails.

What would you eat in a place like this? Japanese tapas, of course! Hear? Lounge, of course. Drink? Cocktails, darling, cocktails. These are original and giddily good; try Butterfly Wings, strawberries, basil and lychee liqueur shaken with Sputnik basil flavoured Russian vodka, or Loungelover, a tantalising combination of Loungelover fig liqueur, sweet vanilla and zesty lemon oil finished with Prosecco. There are wines and champagnes too, but note no beer. It’s not cheap, but this isn’t the kind of place you pop by for a swift drink after work, unless you’re the kind of person who likes to make every moment an occasion. You’ll need to book ahead though, as entry is by reservation only.

Filed under: East London