You may have passed by its unassuming entrance a million times without thinking of stepping in, but once you do enter the Strongroom’s infamous courtyard, it is sure to appear on your list of favourite spots in east London.

The Venue
A former furniture warehouse, this quintessential east London space was transformed into a recording studio in the 80s and can count Nick Cave as a client. With the studios and programming rooms still going strong, the bar and kitchen is a welcome extra element to this brick courtyard. Spread over two floors, the décor is shabbily welcoming and complements the original features: the bricks have simply been painted over in white and red, while the furniture is a mix of beaten leather couches and wooden tables and chairs. The walls double as a temporary art gallery exhibiting cotemporary artworks.

The Atmosphere
Warm and friendly, it is easy to like the Strongroom immediately. Despite the area’s reputation for attracting pretentious twats, Strongroom shows no sign of the attitude for which Shoreditch is notorious. In fact you get the impression that all the ‘nice people’ of the area gather here on a Friday night: the crowd, made of not-too-trendy types in their late 20s and early 30s, pack the venue completely during weekends so arrive early if you want a table.

The Music
You won’t find any duff tracks being selected on the Strongroom’s playlist. A typical album choice is something like The Beatles’ White Album, and regular live bands and DJs play anything from rock and roll to indie, metal and northern soul.

The Food
Like everything else, the menu is not too trendy and that’s a good thing. The tapas (£2.50-£5.50) works particularly well thanks to generous portions and inventive recipes. The soft and fat handcut chips (£4) are excellent and are made even tastier by sweet chilli mayonnaise. The falafels (£4.50) are very good, and the roast butternut and tahini dip with sundried tomato hummus (£4.50) is a generous portion of two successful remixes of old favourites. The burgers (£8.50) are likewise remarkable and great value for money. Sandwiches (£4.50), salads (£3.50-£6.50) and desserts make up the rest of the menu.

The Drink
The beer selection is one of the best features of Strongroom: not only do they brew their own, but the draughts and bottles (£3.95- £4.70) have been exquisitely selected. Pilsner Urquell is possibly the most common option, with Rothaus, Delirium Tremens, Brooklyn Lager, St Peter’s Old Style, The Kernel IPA and many others beers and ales from niche producers making up the rest of the very enticing selection. Wine has the advantage of being cheap at £14-£25 per bottle (three different sizes of glass available) and there are ten bottles to choose from, not counting the wintery mulled wine (£4) and hot cider (£3.50). Hot drinks (£1.70-£2.20) are also available, making the Strongroom an ideal chill-out afternoon spot, particularly when the weather is kind and you can sit outside in the courtyard.

The Last Word
With its earthy décor, good food, great beers, top tunes and laid-back vibe, the Strongroom is an ideal retreat from the sniffy atmosphere and increasingly touristy parts of Shoreditch. Recommended.

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