Those that venture into deepest, darkest Hackney will be rewarded with this discreetly popular pub boasting a fantastic original Art Deco interior.

The Venue
How many original 1930’s Deco pubs have you wandered into lately? It’s a genuinely beautiful space, and the owners have had the good sense not to muck about with it too much and leave the dark wood panelling and green tiles intact in all their retro beauty. Add some plain wood floors, an elegant bar and a supply of free board games and you’ve got a winning formula.

The Food
At The Eclipse, the pizzas are surprisingly large for their modest price tag, and you’re assured they have a fancy pizza oven out back. They also offer rather fantastic cooked breakfasts until 1pm at the weekends, which are well worth dragging your hungover self out of bed for.

The Atmosphere
Going to The Eclipse has been described as a bit like Samuel Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’ in that nothing really happens, but you have a series of bizarre conversations with increasingly unlikely characters. It’s true that, to the untrained eye, The Eclipse seems like a quiet, sedate kind of joint, with a great selection of tunes played at a level that allows conversation. But the locals are something a bit special – The Eclipse attracts Hackney’s sizeable contingent of eccentrics, who enjoy propping up the bar and engaging in conversations with anyone and everyone. Don’t be surprised if you get inducted into a secret society, given homemade badges or find yourself in the middle of a lively debate about socialism. If you’re not feeling too chatty, you can always hide in the calmer back room though. In keeping with the free and easy spirit, well-behaved dogs are welcome, just remember that dancing on tables is strictly forbidden – they haven’t got a license for that apparently…

The Drink
The Eclipse is home to one of the finest spirits cabinets you’ll have seen in a while, and their range of beer is pretty impeccable too, with a fine selection of real ale and lagers represented, including everyone’s favourite, Hoegaarden. The wine list is pretty standard, but their good-value Prosecco stands out, and there’s a semi-secret cocktail list too, which the staff will fish out on request. Prices are pretty decent– there’s beer for under three quid, and none of the cocktails tops a fiver.

The Last Word
You know that perfect, unexpected backstreet local? Well, if you live in Clapton you can afford to feel pretty smug because this has got the blueprint down.

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