Since it opened in 2013, The Clove Club has gone from strength to strength, bagging itself two Michelin stars, its fair share of culinary awards and a raft of rave reviews. But for many grateful East London locals, the fine dining institution reached its zenith earlier this year, with the launch of The Clove Club bar. Finally, an opportunity to see what all the fuss is about – without any of the fuss.
The bar, like the restaurant, is set in the historic Grade II-listed Shoreditch Town Hall: all soaring ceilings, original wooden flooring and an ornate Victorian-era loo that you won’t be able to resist snapping a selfie in. But unlike the restaurant, there are no white tablecloths and, crucially, no £285 eight-course tasting menus. Instead, there’s moody candlelight, dark wood and an air of ease. This is a no-nonsense neighbourhood bar that you can pop into on a whim for some excellent cocktails and Michelin star-quality food.
The Clove Club bar may be a stripped-back version of its more sophisticated sibling, but that doesn’t make it any less considered. Chef-owner Isaac McHale – who sharpened his culinary skills in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, including Noma and The Ledbury – has applied his signature creative streak to curating a menu of “bar snacks”. Forget sausage rolls and scotch eggs: McHale has distilled the elegance of The Clove Club into a looser, lighter selection of changing small plates that draw on the best seasonal ingredients from across the British Isles.
Highlights include fish pakoras served with coconut yoghurt and black lime; Isaac’s legendary chicken kebabs that hark back to the restaurant’s early days (and are served in a ceramic nest); crispy chickpea panisse with roasted aubergine dip; and a “Scottish taco” – a tender piece of pork jowl atop a pig’s blood and buckwheat pancake.
House cocktails are just as innovative: the modestly named Pear & Rice is a silky concoction of Junmai sake, Porter’s Orchard Gin, perry pear and génépi, while the Rare Citrus & Espelette is an elevated take on the now-ubiquitous spicy margarita, infused with piment d’Espelette tincture and Suze and poured upon a huge hunk of an ice cube stamped with The Clove Club’s signature botanical motif.
If that all sounds too finicky, the team will happily whip up any of the classics, made just to your liking. Meanwhile, the extensive wine list places an emphasis on artisanal growers from the old and new worlds, with a strong by-the-glass selection, perfect for a spontaneous post-work stop-in. Non-drinkers are equally as well catered for, with house-made sodas, botanical aperitifs and a tea menu that features unique blends from around the world.
Shoreditch certainly isn’t short on bars, but this one feels different. Unlike a lot of its hi-fi-heavy, natural wine-swilling neighbours, it doesn’t need to rely on affectations or add-ons. Quietly confident, it’s the grown-up bar Shoreditch has been waiting for, where multiple things can be true: a killer drinks list, unpretentious hospitality, top-tier cooking and total comfort.
Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old St, London EC1V 9LT; thecloveclub.com
Aobh O’Brien-Moody is a London-based writer and editor specialising in menswear, lifestyle and culture
