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November 14, 2003
THE ESSENTIALS #4 - TOP LONDON DRINKING SPOTS BY PMH
A few months back, I had the distinct pleasure of hooking up one Friday evening in the East End of London with PMH and his crew. It was clear to me after the third spot we hit, that this guy knows his bars. I had an amazing time that night and, in all truth, didn't fully recover from it until I was safely back at home in Manhattan three days later. So when PMH sent us his essential guide to London last night, I wan't at all surprised that he had chosen to hightlight the best places to drink in London. Nor was I surprised that he had me laughing out loud and wishing that I was back in the East End buying the next round of drinks with PMH and his mates....THE ESSENTIALS #4 - TOP LONDON DRINKING SPOTS BY PMH
Theres nothing better we english do is to drink. Trust me, we're world masters. Americans drink coors light or some shit, aussies drink pussy VB which tastes like granny juice, and the japanese love Sake which I think white spirit beats it in taste tests (trust me, me and mysterious al have experienced drinking meths .. but that's another story). So if your coming to london you gotta get your drinking shoes on, so let me take you by the hand and guide you through the bars of london...
1. garlic and shots (frith st, w1)
Dude, if your on a crash course for a stomach pump you gotta hit the garlic and shots and hit that shit HARD!! It's a metal pub run by norweigen bikers (no joke no lie), and has a basement bar with skeletons, coves and everything else that you wanna see when you've just outdone a james belushi drinks binge. And if you like garlic, check out the food menu - but garlic ice cream? Hell yeah!
2. cafe 2001 (trumans brewery brick lane)
kinda like a warehouse bar, like the kids from heartbreaks highs crib, but nice and inviting. Dj's play some of the finest beats ranging from rephlex electonica to cool fania style latin. But the highlight is not the communal chilled cozy atmosphere, but the fact that when its busy it's a good place to smoke - nudge nudge wink wink. Serious guys it's a nice place to chill and escape from the harsh london winter.
3. Dragon Bar (Leonard St,ec2)
perhaps London's finest writers hang out. Exposed brick? Check. Tasty Modern art? Check. Bombed out Toilets? Check. Yup, still there and still got it. Everyone's been there at least once to put up a sticker or tag. Again with live dj's often (or well picked cds by the bar staff), it's a regular haunt for me and regular associates of mine. However, as I've learnt the hard way, keep Krink away from the door in case some donught brushes into it and complains. But come prepared (i.e stickers and pens)
4. The Endurance (berwick st,w1)
on Friday night all the media whores cram into this pub so if you easily get pissed at hoxton fins fawning over their latest topshop wares, stand your ground. Why? Because its one of the best pubs in soho, that's why. They have the best jukebox around (zeppelin and the stooges, enough for me but they have more, ho ho ho! So much more), darts (I entered and lost at their darts league), stuffed animals (my mate cosmo got so pissed he climbed on the table and tongues the boars head) and mainly because they sometimes hook me up with TRIPLE shots which is illegal but sure does warm the cockels of my hearts.let me hear a hell yeah! HELL YEAH!
5. The Dive Bar (Chinatown)
ok I don't know why I'm telling you about this place, as its my favourite 'secret' from the tourists, but guys, I love you, so here it is the dive bar (but you still gotta' find it in chinatown, no exact address! Some things in life you gotta earn). Its expensive, they don't except credit cards and you can't dance (some shitty bylaw) but its still cool as hell. It's a shitty door in dodgy chinatown and its basically a shitty flight of stairs down that lead to a subterranean drinking den. The bouncers are cheery cockernies, so don't be put off by them. Once your downstairs there two so badly lit its almost black wine tunnels where you can get cheeky with a lady and the main room just gets rammed. Its hasn't been redecorated since the fifties and you can tell. The head bar man is a gay Chinese man who always wears a silver shirt and is super cool - he reminds me of that bar owner from 'good morning vietnam'. There always an amazingly dope dj playing either latin, jazz, or reggae, which is THE SHIT. always hardcore, no played to shit stuff just crate digger classics (to peep the DJ he always has his back to the audience). The crowd is a mix of mods, east end types, stag nights, indie kids, and peeps in the know like you and me. Now go and act like you heard
Go, check these places out, drink and be merry and if you see me buy me a drink, mines a triple rum (dark) and coke
... PMH
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