Café Kick is a sports bar with a difference – it’s girl-friendly and renowned for its keenly contested table football.

The Venue
Sport bars don’t have to be all slick leather and manly minimalism: Café Kick brings a quirky, retro and cute edge to the category thanks to its clever decor. If the table football tables take centre stage in this small rectangular venue, your eyes may wander towards the walls: covered with football paraphernalia, they include everything from old match programmes to Portuguese team scarves and signed photos. The furniture includes a mix and match of retro wooden chairs for two, with larger tables positioned opposite the bar, which is, just like the rest of the space, colourful, slightly eccentric and very fun.

The Atmosphere
Whilst football is king, Café Kick actually shows all sports, from rugby tournaments to the Tour De France. The table football steals the show though, and there are even tournaments where you will see teams frantically trying to top the league. You can even expect to be drafted in if players are missing. The human spillage outdoors is just as sociable and conversations spark easily, notably hardly any of them are sports-related.

The Food
Like it’s sister venue Bar Kick on Shoreditch High Street, Café Kick has a strong Portuguese influence, which is evident in its tapas menu. You can choose a board (£7-£8.50), a platter (£16-£20) or individual tapas (£2.50-£6). Options include sardinillas con pan (sardines on bread), calamari, chorizo with cider, melon and Parma ham in port marinade, or Portuguese-style broad beans in coriander vinaigrette.

The Drink
The drink list, fashionably printed on vintage paper, gives away the fact that Café Kick is not your typical European sport bar: the long list of cocktails (£7) would be considered way too refined on the other side of the channel. You can pick from a list of twisted martinis like the Picasso (pisco, martini rosso, gomme and orange zest), their own long and short drinks and some classics. The list of beers (quite pricey at £3.10-£4.50) is just as extensive and it includes Duvel, Hoegaarden, Vedett, Brahma, Desperados, Krombacher, Windhoek, Cusquena, Sagres, Super Bock, Cruzcampo, Estrella Dam and more. The list of wines (£3.60-£5 for a glass or £14-£45 for a bottle), spirits (£3.20-£4.60) and hot drinks (£1.40-£2.10) is just as exhaustive.

The Last Word
Café Kick nails a very effective recipe: sport rules but not to the point where non-sports fans are put off. Whether you come over to watch or take part in a match, you are guaranteed to have a great time.

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