Here at Secret London, we sure do love having a rummage through our treasure trove of a capital city to uncover the shiniest gems of all. And twinkling away over in Shoreditch is the Umbrella Workshop. From the talented team behind the likes of Discount Suit Company (the cocktail bar hidden the former stock room of a London suit shop) and the Sun Tavern (a certified east London institution); the Umbrella Workshop is perhaps more of an experimental tasting room than a bar. But look, whatever it is – it’s one of our very favourite spots. And it’s about time we let you all in on one of the biggest (and smallest) secrets in town.
Born out of pure neccessity, the lovely lot behind the Umbrella Workshop kept Londoners well-watered during the first lockdown (*shudders at the memory*) with their bottled cocktails and cocktail kits. Due to their huge success, they decided to properly set up shop over in Shoreditch – and the Umbrella Workshop was born. The bar, bottle shop, and interactive tasting experience hybrid is nestled snugly inside a carefully restored former atelier workshop that dates back to 1895. And can only fit around 10-12 people at a time (we told you it was small).
Credit: @umbrellaproject via Instagram
The bartenders experiment with different flavours and various types of alcohol to build a brand new and entirely unique cocktail menu from scratch, each and every week. Based on customer feedback, they’ll then tweak the recipes. And the very best of the bunch earn themselves a spot on the menus of the Umbrella Workshop’s much larger sister venues.
It’s a deliciously intimate and wonderfully interactive spot, where you can stop by to try one of the creative cocktails (priced at a pretty reasonable £12 a pop), or grab yourself a bottle to take home with you. The Umbrella Workshop really is the ultimate ‘I know a little place’ place. And, this time, when we say little; we truly mean it.
Find out more and plan your visit here.
📍 You’ll find The Umbrella Workshop at Unit 10, Cleeve Workshops, Boundary Street, E2 7JD.