GET A FURTHER 10% OFF YOU BILL WHEN BOOKING THROUGH DESIGNMYNIGHT
For over 10 years, The Natural Philosopher has been a beacon of community in East London. Owned and operated by award-winning bartender Josh Powell since late 2019, their neighbourhood cocktail bar focuses on introducing their guests to the flavours of the natural world around them. Using foraged ingredients from East London and further afield, their team create cocktails that you won't find anywhere else. From their acclaimed TERRAIN menu to their newer Forager's Journal menu, there will be something for everyone at their venue including classic cocktails, beer, wine, and excellent non-alcoholic options.
They've built a community of eager regulars looking forward to their next creations, as well as attracting a clientele from all over the world excited to experience their hospitality.
The bar itself is hidden through an operational Mac Repair store on Hackney Road. The two businesses are separate and make for an unusual set-up, with the repair shop being open during the weekdays and the bar functioning in the evenings and weekends. The venue is littered with Victoriana and quirky bric-a-brac with plants seemingly bursting through the walls to reclaim the space.
The sunken bar provides a talking point and a change of perspective for visiting guests and is the source of each evening's atmosphere. From here, cocktails are built, shaken, and stirred before making their way to their guest's tables.
Happy Hour runs 6-8pm every day with selected twists on classic 2 for £16. They also hire the space out for partial (30-38 guests) or full venue hire (39-60 guests). Perfect for birthdays, leaving parties, and anything else in between - just send them an enquiry.
GET A FURTHER 10% OFF YOU BILL WHEN BOOKING THROUGH DESIGNMYNIGHT
Booking is highly recommended on weekends as they can get very busy. They do leave space for walk-ins but as a small venue, it is better to book ahead and guarantee a spot for the evening. They can accommodate bookings for tables of up to 10 when booked in advance. Please note that they take card details on booking to discourage no-shows. Their cancellation policy is 3+ hours of notice.
| Offer | Availability |
|---|---|
|
Two for £16 on selected classics 6-8pm
Selected cocktail twists are 2 for £16 |
Monday 18:00 – 20:00
Tuesday 18:00 – 20:00 Wednesday 18:00 – 20:00 Thursday 18:00 – 20:00 Friday 18:00 – 20:00 Saturday 18:00 – 20:00 Sunday 18:00 – 20:00 |
|
10% OFF your bill when booking with Design My Night
|
| Day | Open | Close | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 18:00 | 23:30 | |
| Tuesday | 18:00 | 23:30 | |
| Wednesday | 18:00 | 23:30 | |
| Thursday | 18:00 | 23:30 | |
| Friday | 18:00 | 1:00 | |
| Saturday | 15:00 | 1:00 | |
| Sunday | 16:00 | 23:30 |
Address
The Natural Philosopher, 489, Hackney Road, E2 9ED
Area
Hackney
Nearest Station
Cambridge Heath (Rail)
| Name | Type | Capacity Seated |
Capacity Standing |
Cost | Min spend Midweek* |
Min spend Weekend* |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dispensary Bar or Whole Venue | Venue Hire | 0 | 0 | - | £700-1000 | £1400-2000 | |
|
We offer private hire of our main bar area for between 30 and 38 guests or full venue private hire for 39-60 guests. We don't charge a hire fee but instead work with a minimum spend system. Minimum spend is subject to the timings of bookings and which days of the week the hire is for. We're happy to work within budgets where possible. We require a 20% deposit of the minimum spend in advance of the booking to secure the hire and close off any bookings to our regular guests. This deposit can be used to pay for a round of welcome drinks for your party or it can be refunded at the end of the night once minimum spend is reached. If minimum spend is not reached, you will need to pay any difference after deposit on the night. We offer drinks packages to those looking to put a tab behind the bar for office parties, networking or special events, otherwise drinks are paid for individually via bar service. Music playlists can be played via Spotify or Deezer for those wanting to play their own, otherwise our music is a mix of dreamy indie and alternative or Studio 54 disco dependant on the night. As we don't have a kitchen we are unable to offer food, however you're more than welcome to bring food to the venue should you wish. We have some recommendations for restaurants in the area if you'd like somewhere to eat first. We understand that these are difficult times and therefore we can pivot and be flexible within reason. If you need to cancel, you MUST give us a minimum of 48hrs notice. We cannot refund your deposit without sufficient notice of cancellation. We will contact you a week in advance of your booking and again on the day of, to ensure your expected number of guests will be arriving. In order to hit minimum spend it is ideal that the majority of your guests arrive within the first hour of your booking. If you are expecting less guests, then we reserve the right to seat you and your guests instead under a table service system and open up the venue to general admission. |
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* The minimum spends are a guideline only and vary according to the day and time of the year.
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