The menu is housed in an empty cassette case, the toilet is hidden behind a secret door in the wall and the cocktails have such cringe-o names as ‘Ume? Yes You’ and ‘Fennel Countdown’. Sure, Callooh Callay sounds gimmicky, but the tipples at this long-established Shoreditch bar are the real deal.
The staff are friendly and knowledgeable (no moody, ‘I’m actually in a band’ hipsters serve here) and mix delectable elixirs like vodka and rhubarb with vanilla shrub and whisky with apricot jam and chocolate bitters (just ignore the names). The exposed brick walls, Milk Tray-coloured soft furnishings and abundance of tealights make Callooh Callay a very cosy spot to sit. Neither trashy nor pretentious, the vibe here is fun but still stylish, and, unlike in neighbouring bars, you won’t be surrounded by swarms of obnoxious suits or stag-dos.
