We're helping you get to know some of the biggest disruptors in London food and drink, from the rogue chefs and the tastemakers to the trendsetters and the hospitality history redefiners. Headed to Hackney soon? We got in touch with Equal Parts bar manager Jamaïque Ardilouze to talk about the space for grapes in your drinks, and how London's competitive spirit helps the city's cocktail scene grow.

Jamaïque Ardilouze.

Tell us who you are and what you do.

My name is Jamaïque Ardilouze, bar manager at Equal Parts.

Equal Parts is a cocktail bar in Hackney and a cafe on weekends. Equal Parts showcases the inspiration of what a bar from the south of Europe could look like. We are mainly a cocktail bar and a great place for aperitif but we are also open the daytime on weekends which allows us to start serving great coffee in the afternoon.

Tell us more about Equal Parts, and why people should visit.
Equal Parts is a relaxed environment with a nice and chill vibe. The music is very South American inspired and the drinks are very simple, low on abv and easy to understand in terms of flavours. The whole menu showcases different grapes and the different ways of working around them.

If anyone is ordering a cocktail at Equal Parts, which one and why?
The cocktail that our guest should order is the “Troussaupinet”, it’s the one that showcases the differences between different grapes and their process of fabrication the best. It’s also delicious, slightly sweet with a hint of acidity from the Austrian wine, the combination of Pineau and Cognac gives a full body and a nice complexity to it.

If you’re heading anywhere after a shift at Equal Parts, where are you going and why?
I would go to A Bar With Shapes For A Name. There is always a good vibe, the staff is amazing and the drinks are always really interesting and simply good.

Inside the bar at Equal Parts.

What are your thoughts on the London cocktail bar scene now?
The London cocktail bar scene is one of the most interesting ones in the world, it is so competitive that it pushes the bartenders to be more and more creative constantly. If you look at all the new openings in 2024 and how much some of these concepts have been pushed it gives you an idea of how creative the scene is at the moment.

Finally, if there’s one perfect cocktail; ingredient, which is it?
If I would like to choose one ingredient it would be the grape. It is one of the most versatile products and you can extract its flavours in so many ways, age it, make it sweet or dry.

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