Inching between being a funky cocktail bar and the world’s coolest granny’s living room is The Redchurch. An eclectic decor and excellent cocktail menu ensures this bar – refurbished in late 2008 – will pull in the trendies and in the know locals.

The Venue
Located next door to a kebab shop, along trendily downtrodden Redchurch Street lies this out-of-the-way cocktail bar. The Redchurch is easily identifiable courtesy of the large sign boldly stating its presence, although it does look more like a pub than a bar on first appearances.

Inside, you’re immediately encapsulated by a cosy, warming but ultimately trendy cocktail bar. Granny would be proud to have such embellishments as the perfectly polished wooden floor, open fireplace, ornate golden mirror, floral wallpaper and horse paintings that adourn the walls. There’s even a stuffed deer’s head mounted on one wall, a little moth eaten it’s certainly a talking point. However, these warming, charming additions are kept in check with modern touches. Luxurious red velvet booths line the long, narrow space by the entrance, appearing opulent and inviting. Attractive small round tables add a decorative edge and geographical maps of the world and modern black and white prints set off the horse paintings well. The lighting is simple with overhanging burnt orange bulbs hanging down overhead at regular intervals, and exposed black brick walls intersperse the floral wallpaper to create a well thought out mix of modern and traditional.

Walking further into this cosy, well laid out venue you’ll find the sizeable bar tucked out of the way to the right, the space opening out to reveal a larger area with yet more seating. The toilets are charmingly labelled ‘Dames’ and ‘Monsieur’ and are unisex in as much as there are three cubicles sharing one space and one set of ornate marble sinks, two of which are for the ladies and one for the guys.

The Atmosphere
This is Shoreditch so expect the usual in the know locals and trendies to inhabit the bar. However, couples snuggle in corners, relaxing in the comfort of the booths, and groups sit round to enjoy a punch bowl. Very much centred around sitting down and enjoying a drink rather than all piling in at the bar, the cosy decor is carried through by the desire to settle in for the evening with a few upmarket cocktails. The funky soundtrack that plays in the background only adds to the ambience.

The staff are friendly, happy to banter and efficient and the table service is a nice touch. The bar staff are exceptionally competent and mix up cocktails quickly without a lapse in quality.

The Drink
The skew of the drink menu at The Redchurch is firmly towards the cocktails, with a large, well thought out selection that specialises in punches. As well as the classics, there are seven house cocktails (£7.50-£8.50) with unusual ingredients and twists. The Chinese Cosmo (a traditional cosmo with lychee and citrus profiles) is refreshing and easy to drink but comes with a potent, alcoholic kick. The Gin Garden (fresh cucumber muddled with gin, elderflower and a dash of apple juice) can be upgraded for an extra £1 to Hendricks gin and is very well blended with muted elderflower undertones making it refreshingly sweet with a distinct gin aftertaste. Finally, the Redchurch Mojito (a regular mojito with elderflower, ginger ale and premium Mount Gay Extra Old rum) is a popular choice; sweeter than the classic, the red colouration is attractive and elderflower adds a nice balance to the rum. If you prefer Champagne cocktails then they’re also available for £8.50 and include the bellini, Kia Royale and French 75. Adding a fun edge to the selection is the Jack the Ripper shooter – an apt addition for the area – consisting of an equally lethal combination of black sambuca and absinth.

Where the menu really focusses its attention, however, is on the Punch and Bloody Mary menus. The Punch bowls are large glass basins filled with alcohol that serve a minimum of four people. Charged at £8 per person (up to a maximum of 20) there’s a large selection of alcoholic choices. The Reggae Rum Punch is a blend of Appleton’s and Wray and Nephew rums infused with exotic liqueurs and fresh fruit. If rum’s not your thing then the Gin Palace Punch comes as a bowl of gin balanced with bitters and essences, fresh pineapple, grated lime peel, sugar, soda water and Pimms served over ice. If you want to splash out then there’s even an Ascot Champagne Punch for £10 a head, consisting of Champagne with Gran Marnier, Maraschino cherry, orange Curacao, brandy and cane sugar. If you’re doing hair of the dog then the four Bloody Mary varieties should sort you out. The highlight is the Bartenders Breakfast (Bloody Mary with a secret Mary mix added and fresh basil). If you’re with a big group and prefer things straight up then bottles of spirits are on sale, including everything from the cheaper brands to premiums. There are a handful of wines, but cocktails are where it’s really at here and it’s a shame not to indulge.

The Last Word
The Redchurch is a great addition to the downtrodden road it inhabits. Quality cocktails and a warming decor set the scene for a chilled out evening.

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