Shielded behind its plain black bricked wall exterior is a shabby chic meets edgy, minimalistic interior mash-up known as The Hoxton Pony.
The Venue
Upon entering the ground floor, the spotlights reflecting off the corrugated metal and the gleaming wooden floor directed my attention to the central feature - the bar. Styled with taxidermy, teacups and modern artistic features, there is a clean and contemporary aesthetic feel to the cocktail bar. The split-level venue takes you down to the basement clubroom adorned with mirrors and a minimalist over-tone of furnishings, creating the illusion of a wider open space. Red square seats and a couple of club tables align closely to the walls, leaving plenty of space for dancing to the ever surprising DJ sets and talented line-ups that take to the decks.
Exuding a cutting-edge and modern vibe, The Hoxton Pony is an impressive haunt for a few cocktails and a dance at the weekend.
Atmosphere and Clientele
Amongst a friendly bunch of barmen, Dave - Head Bartender/Mixologist - made us feel completely welcome and within 5 minutes made sure that two freshly sourced and passionately crafted cocktails were in our hands ready for the first cheers of the evening! The ground floor is definitely designed to be the slightly more relaxed floor to start the evening off with cocktails and chatter. If feeling a bit peckish and you have a rather feisty sweet tooth, you can opt for one of the "Hoxton Tea Parties" – serving a delicious blend of cupcakes and cocktails in china cups - obviously what the real Mad Hatter was sipping on at his tea party!
Offering fun-loving tutorials and palate-pleasing 'Tea Parties', there's an eclectic events programme on offer here.
The Drinks
Invited over for a sneak preview of the summer cocktail menu - always happy to be the test guinea pig - we made our way downstairs to the basement clubroom to begin the Cocktail Masterclass. One thing I hate about cocktail classes is when you are just shown how to make cocktails and voila it’s your turn! Not here (phew!) as Dave - the professional and passionate bar tender that he is - gave us some interesting background into the new menu and how it was devised.
The first to be showcased was the Mini Kon-Tiki named after the God of Sun - an exotic mix of three rums, passion fruit, lime and pomegranate juices and a home-made hibiscus and vanilla syrup - sunshine in a glass! Allowing my partner in crime to have a go at making this one, it was soon my turn to make the second cocktail of the evening and coincidentally my current favourite of the month… an Italian twist on the Negroni – Bella Amalfi; Limoncello, home-made blueberry and chai tea sauce with a strong yet refreshing mix of Campari. Bellissimo!
Warm and welcoming mixologists advise on how to conjure your own sunny season cocktails at this two-hour class.
Summary
Bringing in a diverse crowd of London revellers and out of town party-goers, The Hoxton Pony has a lot to offer - cocktail masterclass, tea parties, impromptu DJ sets, industry events and a weekend mix of house, commercial pop and whatever the DJs fancy on the night. A definite must try if ever on a Shoreditch night out - which should be every weekend!
