Tucked away beneath the railway arches of Peckham Rye Station lies one of South East London’s best kept secrets. Perhaps it’s time to spread the word.

The Venue
Sandwiched between a reclamation yard and an ironmonger, you’d be forgiven for walking straight past Bar Story. With its high steel fencing it looks like the lovechild of a garden centre and your Grandfather’s old Anderson shelter, but in reality this is a unique little oasis in SE15. From the moment you walk through the outside drinking area, resplendent with benches made of reclaimed railway sleepers, palm trees and bamboo shoots, and slide back the front door, you’ll be charmed by its unique appeal.

The low curved brickwork of the ceiling, exposed steel of the downlighters above the bar and the unashamed use of workman’s halogen lamps offer an almost industrial feel. The bar itself protrudes a small way outside into a BBQ area, which hints at lazy summer days spent in the warmth of the South London sun. The indoor portion of the bar consists of an expanse of exposed steel, reaching halfway down the left hand wall where it meets an open kitchen backed by a wall mounted stretch of corrugated iron reaching to the apex of the ceiling. With the exception of the low slung black leather couches opposite the bar, seating consists of five double-length tables set out in rows, each of which are crowded with 9-10 sturdy, unvarnished wooden chairs. This tight packed configuration could have been disastrous, but here you’d be surprised by anything else. This conscious effort to solicit function over form lends the bar its unpretentious and refreshing charm.

One place where the utilitarian nature of the bar lets itself down is in the toilet. Whilst they are fully functional and offer everything you need, the bare-breezeblock chic could perhaps do with being toned down in favour of some home comforts.

The Atmosphere
The curved ceiling, closely packed seats and spartan decor fosters the feeling that you’ve entered a dystopian future’s version of a 1920s speakeasy. As far removed as this concept seems to be, Bar Story pulls it off with young professionals, art students and clued up locals all mixing happily. The chatter is constant and often manages to drown out the regular low rumbles that are the only reminder of the fact that a train is passing not more than 10ft above your head.

This bar has cleverly tapped into the student zeitgeist through the simplest of mediums: free Wi-Fi. For the after-workers there’s a happy hour to take advantage of, although overindulging could adversely affect your competitive edge when it comes to the Monday night quiz. The staff are generally happy to serve, although some of the cocktail orders can take a while to fulfil so you may end up in a fairly good-natured queue. This bar is particularly popular with those with a bohemian outlook, particularly the art students of nearby Camberwell College of Art and Goldsmiths. This isn't surprising given there’s an exhibition space The Sassoon Gallery located next door, run by the same owner as the bar and offering installation opportunities to local artists.

The Music
If your ears don’t inform you as soon as you walk in then the mixing decks and speakers at the far end of the bar leave you in no doubt that music is important to both Bar Story and its customers. Whilst the main weekend nights are geared up for party lovers, the music is refreshingly eclectic. You’re unlikely to find anything played here that has recently graced the charts, instead think more along the lines of anything from Hendrix or Iggy Pop interspersed with house and indie tunes. The bar is also proud of its local musical talent, with Tuesday evenings hosting Open DJ slots where anyone can try their hand at the decks.

The Food
The genius of having an open kitchen means the smells of Bar Story’s seasonal specials float through the room, making mouths water. As well as the juicy Sunday Roast with well-cooked veg and crisp, fluffy roast potatoes for around £7, the weekday menu consists of a few simple things done exceedingly well, all for between £5-£7.50. These include sausage and mash for £5 featuring thick-set, steak sausages lightly grilled before being sunk into a foundation of creamy mash and drowned by flavoursome onion gravy. Alternatively, you can opt for a tender chicken jalfrezi set on a bed of steaming basmati rice for about £6.

Recently, they have invested in a pizza oven here and are now selling freshly prepared 12” beauties for £6.50. Whilst their range isn’t going to rival the choice you’d find in an established pizzeria (there are six styles to choose from) you could do a lot worse in terms of taste and price. A series of lighter snacks are available, too, all for around £3, including a filling French onion soup served with warm, crusty bread, or the eternal student-fodder of fluffy, thick cut potato wedges piled with grated cheese and grilled until golden brown. Those feeling the pinch will be glad of the Tuesday 2-4-1 offer on all burgers, a bargain at £5.50.

The Drink
Unfortunately for those that love their beer in a pint glass, draught beer isn’t too high on the agenda at Bar Story, although those liking Cobra, Staropramen or Guinness are catered for at around £3.20 a pint. Bottled beers are a different matter, however. There are the usual suspects in the form of Heineken, Carling, Stella, Carlsberg and three different types of Kronenbourg, as well as a few ciders in the form of Magners, Bulmers and Kopparberg. Where the bar really comes into its own, however, is the 20 or so different types of beer from around the world including Tiger, Leffe, Kingfisher, Peroni, Chimay, Asahi, Zywiec and, from slightly closer to home, Newcastle Brown Ale, all for around £3-£4.

Like draught beer, wine appears to be limited in selection, but what do you expect from a bar that so firmly sees itself as the antithesis of a wine bar? Having said that, whilst the actual wines themselves change regularly, there is always the option of a Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot or Rioja for around £10-£15 a bottle.

That said, the real reason for the bar’s regular and diverse fan base is its even more diverse range of cocktails. Famed for their mojitos, which make an excellent introduction to the bar with the well crushed mint infusing into the rum and helping to mellow its kick, the menu boasts 36 cocktails in all. For the even more daring there are 12 shooters to work your way through as well. The full list is chalked above the bar and features a few classics such as the uniquely creamy White Russian (£5.50) or the beautifully presented Margarita (£6.50), so you should always be able to find your favourite. There are also a few rarities and house specialties thrown in along the way. If you have even the slightest love of whisky then try one called The Godfather (£6) - a simple yet refined dark and inviting mixture of Jack Daniels’ finest, blended with sweet Italian Amaretto in a low glass over ice. An uncomplicated drink for an uncomplicated bar.

The Last Word
With its student friendly attitude and consciously down-at-heel decor, Bar Story isn’t going to suit everyone, nor does it quite manage to be a destination bar in its own right. However, if you want a bar with good cocktails, a late licence (12pm most nights) and a unique attitude to match, all within stumbling distance of the last train home, then you could do a lot worse than heading here.

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