BEACH BLANKET BABYLON SHOREDITCH
| Address | 19-23 Bethnal Green Road; London E1 6LA by Club Row |
|---|---|
| Neighbourhood | Shoreditch, Bethnal Green | See on map |
| Tube | Shoreditch High St [Overland], Old St [Northern] |
| Telephone | +44 20 7749 3540 |
| Website | http://www.beachblanket.co.uk/shoreditch/ |
| Price | £40-60 |
| Hours | Sun-Thurs 18-00. Fri-Sat 18-01. |
Scuttle a bit further down Bethnal Green Road past Shoreditch House's secluded side entrance and you’ll hit the rather grand frontage of this glamorous restaurant and bar next to Les Trois Garçons.
Big gold accents dominate the opulent interior and, while it’s not quite on par with its quaint gourmet neighbour in terms of either food or outré decor, it definitely ups the party stakes and the cocktails make up for most of the shortcomings on the food side. The signature Porn Star Martini may not be the most classily named cocktail, but damn if it doesn’t taste good – vodka, mango and vanilla served with a side (money) shot of bubbly.
Curved banquettes around tables on a raised pulpit and a central bar, with a dance floor downstairs for post-prandial workouts, make the space a serious (though mainly straight) crowd-pleaser. Look out for the venue’s events and themed nights, which always come with a significant helping of scantily clad patrons and risqué sideshow acts. For those out West, there’s also the original Notting Hill location.
