Bars & Pubs

One of the Shoreditch originals, Cantaloupe has long since eased into a comfy chair to let the young guns tire themselves out at the cutting edge. It simply carries on serving up groovy world-inflected music and booze, to be sopped up by unambitious Latin American tapas (a nibble of olives for £2; Argentine beef stew, £6), in two large rooms of exposed pipework and artfully worn furniture. Hungrier folk head for the Spanish-influenced food in the restaurant out back. Tap beers are less enticing than the cocktails - maybe a Caipa de Acai and Maracuja (cachaça, acai, passion fruit) or London caipirinha (Bombay gin instead of cachaça, plus crème de mure and blackberries) - but the bottles span Estrella Galicia and Lancaster Bomber. Few thrills then, but perfectly hospitable.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9