Bar Three, Spitalfields: bar review

Who’s behind Bar Three?

This is the second bar from brothers Max and Noel Venning, who reconvened after working in separate cities (Manchester and London) to open Three Sheets in Dalston (read our review here) in 2016. This time the brothers have teamed up with Blixen restaurant to provide a basement hangout for before or after dinner drinks.

What’s the vibe?

This new venture is a bit swankier than the brothers’ first bar. Little alcoves are lined with woven rope and framed illustrations of leaves, velvet banquettes are gathered round tealight-lit tables, and windows give a peek into the other side of the cavernous space that acts as a spillover when the bar gets busy. This second area boasts a high-backed orange sofa that suits the slick style of Bar Three rather perfectly.

What’s the drinks menu like?

As in Three Sheets, the concise menu is three fold, with ‘light’, ‘medium’, and ‘full’ cocktails that, as the names suggest, range from light and refreshing to short and punchy. There are three carefully crafted drinks in each section, with the addition of three alcohol-free cocktails, three wines and three beers and ciders.

Which cocktail to order at Bar Three?

The dangerously easy-to-drink pre-bottled French 75 has been carted over from Three Sheets, which we’re very pleased about. New concoctions join old favourites, such as Whisky + Milk, a super-smooth drink made of three ingredients – Woodford Reserve bourbon, milk-washed Earl Grey tea and a cedar aroma spritzed on top.

Is there any food?

The benefit of having a restaurant upstairs is that the bar snacks are bound to be top notch. Go for indulgent little crisp croquettes of spiced lamb shoulder, chargrilled prawns with a punchy herb sauce and red pepper, or simple skinny fries with classic condiments.

Insider tip: As their French 75 serve suggests, the boys are big on pre-batched ingredients that every top bartender relies on to create cocktails on a busy night. Look out for their book, Batched & Bottled, out May, that teaches you how to make creative concoctions at home.

Where to go nearby for dinner: Blixen is a mere stagger up the stairs away, while adjoining Old Spitalfields Market street food hub is brimming with options – try legendary soup dumplings from Dumpling Shack (here's our step-by-step recipe), stunning cauliflower shawarma jeweled with pomegranate seeds and herbs from Berber & Q (we've got the recipe here), or Flank’s moreish crumpets laden with ham hock.