Lottie Coltman

From the minds of Night Tales, this café-by-day/cocktail-bar-by-night has a similar vibe to its bigger counterpart in Hackney Central: good food, DJs and (obvs) innovative cocktails. Up just enough stairs to remind you that you haven’t been to gym lately, the space channels warehouse chic, softened with leather chairs, communal tables and potted plants, all bathed in a pink neon hue that renders Instagram filters redundant. It’s like hanging out at the New York-style apartment of a friend who’s cooler and more successful than you. NT’s cocktail list includes interesting twists while managing to remain unfussy: no bells and whistles for the sake of it. Bar staff get through a small forest of straws with their perfectionist tasting – bad for the environment but good for your tastebuds. The Con Man – fusing rum, bitters, ginger and whisky – tastes seductively medicinal but trust us: it’ll do you more harm than good in the long run. Coriander Southside had an interesting herbal bite, but not enough to make us feel like we’d stumbled into a curry house.  Food, like the drinks, is kept simple, while the beats are sexy and funky. While there might not be a dance floor, stay long enough and you’ll see a suitably lubricated crowd take the mood from laidback lounge to house-party good times. NT’s does everything right. Go there. 

Please note, Silk Stockings has re-opened under new management. Time Out Editors, March 2018. You know how sometimes a cake turns out perfectly 100 times and then just fails? It seems to happen with bars, too. The newly opened Silk Stockings uses the same ingredients as sister bar Satan’s Whiskers – quirky taxidermy, leather booths and low lighting – but unexpectedly falls flat. The problem is quantities: the previously winning formula feels as if it has been watered down. Yes, the taxidermy is still there but it’s muted. The hip hop beats are unobtrusive to the point of apologetic. The bar feels like it is yet to grow into its own skin – as if, one month in, the finishing touches and the accompanying atmosphere were still left in a box, unpacked. Of course, atmosphere and aesthetics aren’t everything. With the right cocktail in hand I could drink in a cardboard box. But the drinks failed to stand out. Even a rendition of the cocktail that gives the bar its name, a mellow mix of tequila, cacao cream, grenadine and chocolate, lacked conviction and depth: not luxurious enough to be silky, and with no bite to indicate the mischievous presence of tequila.  And while requests to order off-menu were accommodated, there wasn’t the usual excited discussion of flavour preferences and their possible liquid manifestations. Generally, however, the staff were sweet and attentive, and the intention was there. Food-wise there are bar snacks and charcuterie boards, although the homemade crac

If the leading religions of the world have taught us anything, it is that hell is situated underground – a hot, horrible place full of writhing bodies, where you will see and experience things that can never be forgotte. And if that isn't an apt description of the Central line at rush hour then we don't know what is.  Yet, we are a city obsessed with the tube. The tube, it seems, is a bigger part of London life than novelty pop-ups, lost tourists and a hatred of estate agents. And we think we know why…   A photo posted by @beasweetbeauty on Jun 24, 2013 at 2:06am PDT 1. It's the perfect scapegoat  OK, so it’s Wednesday morning and you’ve woken up in a stranger’s bed on the other side of London. It happens to us all. Know what's going to get you out of this sticky situation? Well, firstly a trip to Boots and as much sample perfume and/or aftershave as you can get away with. But after that, it's London Underground that you'll need to turn to. Prone to delays, cancellations, and congestion, it’s the excuse that even the most suspicious boss can’t pick holes in. But maybe brush out the sex hair, just to be on the safe side…     A photo posted by tobueno (@tobueno) on Oct 15, 2014 at 1:14am PDT 2. It doesn't discriminate If you live in London and are not the Queen, Alan Sugar or one of those dickheads from 'Made in Chelsea', you will inevitably spend a fair chunk of your time on the Underground, pressed up against your fellow Londoners. The good news is that every man,

Summer is just around the corner but, let’s face it, most us have already mentally sacrificed the dream of the perfect beach body in exchange for the promise of weekly pub garden piss-ups and barbecued sausages. But never fear, there is still one sure way to shift a bit of excess weight... That’s right, as the skirts get shorter and the shirts come off, it’s time to ditch whoever it has been keeping you and your spare tire warm during winter hibernation and get ready for a summer of humping and dumping. Here’s a list of Londoners you can expect (or desperately try) to meet, and perhaps even date, during that time... The human equivalent of the post-drink kebab Extremely bad for you (and a major cause of heart problems) but impossible to resist. Especially after alcohol. Player, lothario, arsehole – whatever you want to call them, the basic problem is that they aspire to the 'hoes in different area codes' philosophy. Except this is London, so we guess it would be more a case of 'thorough in every borough' – less catchy and actually wildly inaccurate, as even sexual deviants don't want to spend all their time on the tube. The future Neighbourhood Watch member Easily identified by the M&S clothing, they have an unremarkable but well-paid job in accounting, understand the different pension options and always read the T&Cs. Practical to have about but the novelty of well-hung shelves and lifts to the airport will soon wear off when they propose moving to the suburbs. Run as fast a

Now, we all know that the best solution to a hangover is to stay in bed, binge on 'Game of Thrones' and eat something deep-fried and covered in cheese. But sometimes, for reasons nobody quite understands (other than the fact that you’re still a bit pissed) you will want to venture out into the big wide world. In case you do make this (frankly questionable) decision, here's a guide to where not to go. Spoiler: Oxford Street, the tube and all of the major tourist spots do not feature on this list – choose to venture to any of these with a hangover and you deserve everything you get.     A photo posted by Milo (@1milo) on Feb 14, 2016 at 11:51am PST Anything involving modern art If you thought that deciphering the deeper meaning of a ball of human hair was hard when you had a clear head, try doing it with one pickled in tequila. You can, of course, do what most people do and just mill about stroking your chin and nodding intermittently but even if you do manage to look the part (and honestly, by this point, who cares) there’s still the headache-inducing white lights, sparse spaces devoid of soft furnishings and strict rules of no eating or drinking, which means no orange Lucozade or McDonald’s for you!   A photo posted by Rexia Chen (@hongru.4862) on Feb 15, 2016 at 8:51am PST Pretentious markets Craft booze, artisan food and handmade trinkets that literally nobody has ever needed. Cute way to spend an afternoon, right? Wrong. The last thing you need in your current sta

Okay, so it's January; you're a bit broke and a lot fat. The temptation may be to dust off the juicer, renew the gym membership and open a savings account. But not so fast. We're here to tell you that you're perfect just the way you are. Well, not quite, but  if you can tick off more than, let’s say, three items on this list, then you've pretty much got your shit together. 1. You still have your job after your work Christmas party.2. You are not, and have never been, on first name terms with any of the staff at your local Dixy Chicken.3. You take lunch to work instead of spending 40 quid a week on a rotation of Pret, Itsu and M&S sandwiches.4. You never leave your washing in the machine long enough for it to smell like the armpit of a particularly offensive commuter, meaning you have to start the whole process over again.5. You have successfully been for 'one pint'. (Ha! Nobody has ever done this).6. You actively seek out credible news sources rather than relying on more intelligent friends to recap for you at the pub.7. You don't regularly end a night at The Dolphin and/or Infernos.   A photo posted by Romeo Monty (@lph2016) on Jan 1, 2016 at 4:53am PST 8. You've never played 'laptop roulette' (going on an impromptu mid-week night out causing you to almost leave your work laptop in a cloakroom in Clapham).9. You offer your seat on the tube to pregnant women/the elderly/children and not just hot people you're hoping to sleep with.10. Your gym membership can be consider

London is one of the greatest cities in the world, but with the average pint costing roughly the same as a flat in Milton Keynes, it isn't cheap. Enter the work Christmas party. Your chance to scrape back some much-needed cash, one crap glass of wine at a time. But at what higher cost? Your self-respect, your job and your ability to hold down 15 tequilas. Fear not – here are some tried and tested techniques to getting the most out of the festive free bar with your dignity intact. 1) Don’t go   A photo posted by @lottiekins_ on Nov 30, 2015 at 3:16pm PST We can hear the cries of protest now: 'But what about the free prosecco?!' Don't get your novelty Christmas knickers in a twist. We're not saying you should forgo the season to get drunk and make a tit out of yourself completely. But why do it in front of people who you know and can use it against you? Go to someone else's instead! Some of the flashier companies in the city extend the invitation to get wasted in the name of Baby Jesus not only to their employees, but their loved ones too. In short, you can consume enough alcohol to kill a small horse, leaving a trail of destruction and bodily fluids behind you and not have to worry about repercussions. It's probably worth mentioning that you might not want to pick a long-term partner for this – you don't want to risk your Christmas presents, after all. 2) Choose your target   A photo posted by Plum Crazy Events (@plumcrazyevents) on Dec 3, 2015 at 5:09am PST All yo

Let's face it – starting your morning with your face squashed against someone's rucksack is far from ideal (depending on what you're into, of course). But that's exactly what Londoners face during the sweaty, miserable hell that is the daily commute. In fact, the only saving grace is if you can grab yourself a seat, from which you can then revel in everyone else's suffering. Here's how:  1) Location, location, location  Getting a seat on the tube is all about marking your territory. Spread yourself too thin and you will be subject to counter attack; too concentrated and it's a case of too many eggs in one basket. In reality, you can cover four seats at a maximum. And once you’ve picked your patch, protect it with your god damn life. This is your empire now. If you don't have your wits about you, that sneaky bitch with the pumpkin spice latte will be in there quicker than a sleazy Tinder date.  2) If in doubt, bribe  It's time to schmooze the high and mighty that are currently seated. At the moment they are the Kings and Queens of Tubeland and you are just a pauper snuffling in the mud around them. You do whatever you can to win their favour, and let them know that you're next in line. Eye-contact, mild flirtation – give them a bit of the over-priced ham and cheese croissant you just bought if you have to. 3) Judge a book by its cover  Stereotypes have no place in the real world but on the Underground they could be the lifeline you've been hoping for. Think of it as a real-lif

Blogger and Time Out reader Lottie Coltman takes us on a bar crawl of her favourite drinking spots in east London BETHNAL GREEN The Sun Tavern 'I come here for the cocktails; I stay because the barmen are bad influences. I also love the toilets, which have signs to compliment you instead of mirrors.' 441 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 0AN 􀀀 Bethnal Green. HACKNEY The Last Tuesday Society 'Stuffed with more dead animals than Kimye's wardrobe, this museum-like bar is great for eclectic cocktails and, er, deformed taxidermy.' 11 Mare St, E8 4RP Cambridge Heath Overground. Rob Greig SHOREDITCH The Bridge 'With strong coffee and even stronger spirits, this cafÈ-bar is great for pre- or post-hangover drinks. Expect decor more dramatic than a post-split One Directioner.' 15 Kingsland Rd, E2 8AE. 􀀀 Old St or Hoxton Overground. LIMEHOUSE Jamboree 'My favourite live-music bar, with genre combinations (bluegrass- Gypsy-rockabilly-R&B?) I pretend to have heard of. Walking away at the end of the night is a struggle.' 566 Cable St, E1W 3HB. 􀀀 Limehouse. Lottie Coltman 26, is an 'overenthusiastic vodka martini drinker' and author of 'The Time I...' blog. Find more places to drink in Shoreditch.