The Verge Bar (Bar)

Top 10 things we discovered about Verge bar:

1) Housed on the corner of Brick Lane and Bethnal Green Road, this small, laid-back and rather unassuming Shoreditch bar could easily be overlooked. Venture inside, though, and you’ll discover that the aquarium like windows make this one of East London’s prime people-watching locations.

2) Equally as unassuming are the crowd, for this is not your usual Shoreditch haunt. Verge Bar has more of a local feel about it; think Cheers rather than Sex and the City. Owner Davin and his business partner Mark appear to know many of the regulars – builders, cabbies and the odd East End hipster enjoying an after-work pint – by name.

3) As well as a decent and reasonably priced selection of draught beers, ales and wines, the bar serves up an impressive array of cocktails, including a selection of mojitos, margaritas and martinis (including French, passion fruit and espresso).

4) The team behind Verge Bar also go one step further by whipping up cocktails unique to the bar, such as the Brick Lane margarita. Made with tequila, lemongrass, mango puree, lime and chilli, it really packs a punch.

5) They may not serve food here, but you’re just a short stumble from a multitude of curry houses and some of the best bagels in London.

6) DJs play at weekends at Verge when the place is said to get much busier. Music ranges from house to hip-hop, 60s classics to funk and there’s plenty of room to bust some moves, should you be so inclined.

7) The décor of Verge Bar is simple but eclectic. Think funky wallpaper, cushioned benches to sprawl on, red velvet curtains, large brass lamps and canvas prints of music gods Jagger and Marley.

8) There’s no cover charge. I REPEAT: there’s a bar in Shoreditch with NO COVER CHARGE.

9) On the night we visited, Verge Bar had more dogs on the premises than any bar I have ever visited. If that’s not a reason to go back, I don’t know what is.

10) At Verge Bar, their formula appears to be simple: punters want reasonably priced drinks, friendly service and an unpretentious environment. And this they certainly deliver. It’s not going to win any awards, but that’s not always what customers are looking for, and you could do a hell of a lot worse than this boozer. ...read more