East London Liquor Company to open distillery restaurant

The East London Liquor Company is to open a restaurant at its Bow Wharf distillery, which already features a bar and a bottle shop.

The site will open on 21 June, offering a menu with Italian emphasis. There will be a pizza oven and seasonal sharing plates, plus a cocktail list with five new serves using a selection of the Company’s spirits. The drinks menu will also be split into sections, comprising amaro, fernet, vermouth, wine, cocktails, and beer.  

The interior design has been created by British designed Michael Sodeau, and will feature stripped-back brick walls, copper touches to reflect the whisky stills in the distillery, Italian marble tables and bar-top, Swedish-made lighting, and encaustic tiles from Turkey.   

The opening will also coincide with plans to open a third whisky still and an increase in size of the warehouse space to help meet added demand.

First launched in July 2014 by Alex Wolpert, the East End Liquor Company sits near Regent’s Canal and has aimed to restore the area’s reputation as a destination for spirits production, as it was once home to the Lea Valley Distillery that operated 100 years ago.

Mikey Pendergast heads up the mixology, while Tom Hills and Andy Mooney oversee all distillation.

Commenting on the new opening, designer Sodeau said: “Every detail of the restaurant has been carefully curated and selected to reflect the incredible history of spirits production once enjoyed in Mile End. We’re excited for the space to become a design destination in its own right.”