Among the “spiritfrees,” the Pepperberry Tonic is flavored with Tasmanian pepperberry, Japanese sanshō pepper, angelica root, grapefruit and elderflower.
• Ask about the “whisky bar,” located below the main dining and bar area. Currently open on Fridays and some Saturdays, it houses the entire shochu and Japanese whisky collection, serving cocktails built around those featured spirits.
• Walk-ins are welcome for groups of two. If you don’t see any reservations available, call around 4 p.m. when the host is confirming reservations; you might be able to snag one of the slots available for quick drinks and snacks, which don’t show up on OpenTable.
NICE TO KNOW
Less than a block away, Moneygun is a no-frills cocktail bar occupying a former dive with reliable drinks in a laid-back atmosphere popular with the industry. On the same street, Lazy Bird, a subterranean lounge with live music three nights a week, is located in the Hoxton. And, finally, pioneering high-concept bars The Aviary and The Office are a 10-minute walk away.
NOTABLE AND NEARBY
At Kumiko, co-owner Julia Momosé offers a menu of singular originals and updated classics—Ume Boulevardier, Moonstone Vodka Soda—refracted through a refined, detail-oriented take on Japanese fine dining. The highball, for instance, is simple on paper, a straightforward mixture of Suntory Toki Japanese whisky and club soda, but the technique involves nearly 10 precise steps, including chilling the whisky in the freezer beforehand and pouring the club soda—a formulation unique to the bar—in such a way that it maintains optimal effervescence. Kumiko describes itself as a “dining bar,” a space that places equal importance on drink and food (the chef comes from two-Michelin-starred Oriole). But Momosé is quick to note that guests can choose to eat as little or as much as they like. Those interested in dinner should book in advance and consider one of the pairing options, which consist of cocktails, sake or nonalcoholic drinks. Momosé has also long been an advocate for nonalcoholic cocktails to be treated with the same integrity as their alcohol-bearing counterparts, so even if you opt out of a pairing, don’t miss her menu of “spiritfrees.”
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Those interested in dinner should consider one of the pairing options, which consist of cocktails, sake or nonalcoholic drinks.
