The Blind Pig is a cool and quirky (secret-ish) bar in the City of London, that sets itself apart from the other suited and booted, glossy after-work bars in the area. With it being a bit of an enigma, I was keen to check it out.
The Venue
Nestled in the bowels of bustling City bar and restaurant The Anthologist, The Blind Pig is a different bar to its big sister upstairs. White washed stone walls, exposed steel beams and a bare concrete floor, give way to embellished antique armchairs, decorative wooden crates and and teapots for cutlery holders. Beer kegs make for tables and burlap sacks make for tablecloths. The jarred vibes of the bar are held together with a peppering of candelabras throughout the bar, flickering away to give a whimsical romantic feel.
At the bar a talented mixologist whips up the ever-changing selection of cocktails.
The Clientele and Atmosphere
This little hideaway is the perfect antidote to the heaving liveliness of the bar upstairs. A sense of calm takes over and you feel like you're stepping into the past; to a little London speakeasy bar as jazz plays overhead and a courteous bartender greats you with both friendliness and familiarity. We were perhaps the only non-suits in the bar, and given the alternative vibes, The Blind Pig would perhaps find itself more at home up the road in Shoreditch. But even the bankers of this world deserve a little whimsy in their after-work watering holes.
The candlelit bar in the City of London is a mish-mash of styles, making it a quirky place for a drink.
Food & Drink
Cocktails are the real deal at The Blind Pig, with an ever changing menu of bespoke delights. A Sazerac, in an Absinthe rinsed glass made for a potent bourbon-buff's dream. Drinks can also be selected from the bar upstairs menu too, with a quirk-laden selection, such as sharers that come in mini bath-tubs, and boozy milkshakes in diner-style paper cups. A calorie-conscious selection of skinny drinks includes a delicious Marshmallow Colada served in a plastic pineapple.
The food at The Blind Pig is good. Really, really good. The menu is a selection of tasty flatbreads, sharing plates and finger food. We had the Borough Market flatbread - one word, amazing, tempura with ginger and firecracker sauce - some of the tastiest squid I've ever had, and Cowboy Fries from the Tatties menu with honey, chilli and garlic - all kinds of delicious.
A truly great space for drinking in the city, The Blind Pig is a winner.
Summary
If you're a City bar fly and you're looking for something a little different from your night out near Bank, then The Blind Pig is a sure bet. Great cocktails, incredible food, charming surroundings and doting staff, make for a bar that has all the quirks of an East London hangout, but the quality and class we've come to expect from the City bar scene.
