Swiftly becoming a Crouch End institution, Kiss the Sky has charmed locals with its quality drinks and natural hospitality.

The Venue
Just round the corner from the clock tower in Crouch End, you can spot Kiss the Sky by the cool baby blue exterior and little smoking bench.

Inside, the big windows give a spacious feel to a room decked out with an eclectic mix of furniture and adornments, from gorgeous ornate tables to an old horse gifted from a local school’s gymnasium. Favourite features are the Buddha bust and the mosaic work around the bar. The place looks like a designer friend’s living room – very different from the typical uniform neon of most late night bars. The real appeal of this venue is its a place to have a cocktail or a pint without pretension. Kiss the Sky feels like an individual place.

The Atmosphere
Evenings here start early, with locals all of ages popping in to meet friends or see who’s drinking. The blend of people that come here is indicative of the area, so the place welcomes local workers, musicians, actors and professionals and the atmosphere is always sociable and friendly. The lively crowd give an open house party vibe to the bar at weekends, which is unique compared to the pubs and bars in the rest of the area. As Kiss the Sky fills up, people mingle with everyone and spill out onto the road to smoke. Stay here for an hour or two and you’ll meet someone new by the end of it.

The Music
When its quieter, music is low-key and diverse, and when its busy the buzz of chat normally takes the music up a notch. The bar staff happily take requests from the large music collection, which has tunes from Jimi Hendrix (naturally) to Johnny Cash. Musicians are booked to play every Tuesday on acoustic night and Thursday is open decks night, when wannabe DJs have half an hour each to please the crowd. DJ Bean plays reggae on Sundays as a wind down from the weekend.

The Drink
Kiss the Sky is named in honour of the bar’s signature cocktail; a refreshing mix of Amaretto, Zubrowka vodka, lime and apple juice. The bar specialises in classic cocktails like John Collins and mojitos and is also proud to stock some rare beers like Lindeboom and Flensburger and special organic ciders. One thing they don’t do here is Jack Daniels, personal preference apparently.

The Last Word
An understated, unique bar that outshines the competition – a local treasure for good drinks and good times.

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