In the battle of the board game bars, Draughts just declared a checkmate.
It’s all fun and games over in Dalston, where Draughts are opening a Quite Fancy new board games bar on October 18th. Jenga towers will crumble, Risks will be taken, and friendships will be strained, if not ruined forever. But at least it’ll happen in ultra-luxe surroundings!
Relocating from their Haggerston home, the new spot is a stone’s throw away in distance, but a big step up in terms of square footage and ‘grammability. Draughts Dalston has taken over the Grade-II listed former home of pie and mash shop F Cooke, which has also seen life as a Chinese restaurant and karaoke bar. And whilst the karaoke classics may be restricted to boozy, gloating renditions of We Are The Champions, the legacy of the space is continued by the lovely tiled interiors of the bar, which date back to 1910.
Said bar will now be serving up delightful cocktails, including the London staple Espresso Martini, to a room full of comfy booths. The gaming quarter is at the back, a stylish space which boasts over one thousand games (alternatively, one thousand ways to prove your dominance over your pals). Draughts will also have an upstairs private dining room that’s reportedly dripping with retro style – worth looking into for those who take their game nights very seriously.
Jones & Sons, who run the food at Draughts Waterloo, are in charge of the kitchen here, and there’s plenty to sustain you. Small, nibbly plates include Korean sticky chicken with chilli jam, tempura corn bites with sweet chilli, and sweet potato fries with aioli, whilst the main menu offers ribs, nachos, quesadillas, and a lobster & crayfish mac n’ cheese.
The banging burger menu isn’t to be sniffed at, and desserts such as chocolate truffle tart or Belgian waffles with banana, toffee, and honeycomb ice cream should pair nicely with the sweet taste of victory. Why not roll the dice and give it a chance?
Location: 41 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, E8 2JS. Nearest station is Dalston Kingsland. See it on Google Maps.
Opening hours: opens October 18th, exact hours TBC.
Price: TBD, you can book your spot here. Small plates are £6, mains are £10, burgers are £12 – they’re offering 50% off the food on October 19th & 20th though.
More information: head to their website.
Also published on Medium.