So cool it hurts, Zigfrid Von Underbelly packs in a trendy crowd of Hoxton hipsters, keen to enjoy a great gastro-esque menu upstairs before letting their hair down in the basement club area.

The Venue
Located on the northwest corner of Hoxton Square, Zigrid Von Underbelly is easily reached from Old Street underground station. It’s a competitive area, and the heavy metallics, modern art and battered furniture that make up the decor are repeated in several other venues just footsteps away.

Upstairs is Zigfrid, where patrons eat or enjoy a drink, whereas Underbelly is the downstairs nightclub area that doesn’t really get going until much later in the evening. During the summer months, the punters make good use of the courtyard at the front, spilling out onto the Square.

The Atmosphere
Typical of Hoxton, Zigfrid Von Underbelly attracts a crowd of musicians, artists, media types and fashionistas, as well as the odd out-of-place City boy. Ties are banned, and the cool crowd here are more likely to be wearing skinny jeans, Converse sneakers and something vintage than the suit they wore to the office earlier that day.

That said, the crowd isn’t as annoyingly trendy as some venues on the Square, instead the feel is pretty inclusive and welcoming, helped by the friendly and chatty bar staff. The only gripe might be that the music can be a bit loud for a relaxing meal if you’ve come here to eat.

The Music
Underbelly plays host to all manner of nights with every kind of music imaginable. Many of the live music nights are given over to up-and-coming rock and indie bands or soul and RnB singers. DJ nights offer everything from RnB and hip hop through to house music, ska, and pop electro. It’s also worth checking the listings for forthcoming special events and gigs.

The Food
Zigfrid offers a varied menu of everything from burgers and all day breakfasts to tapas, bangers and mash, or a range of shellfish. With everything on offer from seafood to British gastro fare or Spanish cuisine, one might expect it to be rather poorly executed, but each course is prepared expertly and the prices are cheap, starting at just £3. The garlic mushrooms on the tapas menu are particularly moreish!

The Drink
Bottles of wine here start from just £12, with a glass of Pinot Grigio costing under £4. There’s also a full cocktail menu including a tasty pineapple mojito made in front of you with fresh fruit and juices. The only offputting thing about the drinks is the queue to get them, like all venues on Hoxton Square, Zigfrid Von Underbelly packs them in and getting to the bar can require a few sharp elbow digs in the ribs of the people crowding around it.

The Last Word
Reasonably priced drinks, varied and well-executed food and the oh-so-cool crowd makes Zigfrid Von Underbelly a must for any East London fashionista. It’s even worth the trip if you’re not local.

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