[title]
The East End is getting a brand new boozer, and we already know it’s going to be a good ’un. Why? Because it’s from Exale Brewery – one of the best breweries in the city and the same folk behind Three Colts Tavern in Bethnal Green and William IV in Hoxton.
This October, Exale is launching its ‘biggest project yet’ on Dalston’s Kingsland Road: The Black Eel. The new pub will sit in the Grade II listed building formerly home to F. Cooke, one of London’s oldest pie and mash shops. It opened there in 1862, serving pies, mash and jellied eels all the way up to 1996. It was most recently home to board game café Draughts.
Maintaining some of the building’s original features (its tiled shopfront, arched windows and doorway mosaic), the Black Eel will feature a karaoke room, darts and shuffleboard spaces, lounge zones and flexible hire rooms. There’ll also be a sprawling 150-seat beer garden with seating nooks and a pétanque court.
Obviously, the bar will be stocked with Exale’s lagers, hazy IPAs, stout and fruited sours, as well as cocktails, natural wine and no/low alcohol options. For food, Exale has recruited former Lagom head-chef Billy Fisher. He’ll be in residence with his new concept Riley’s, serving up dishes like steamed mussels, pork ribs with pickle and hot honey and Basque cheesecake with toffee sauce. On Sunday’s there’ll be roast dinner on the menu, with pork belly or beef sirloin for the carnivores and celeriac with hazelnut crumb for the veggies.
The Black Eel will be open for business from October 24. You can secure a table here.
The 50 best pubs in London right now.
Plus: the biggest sports bar in London is coming to the West End.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.