Japanese-inspired Moon Garden opens at Untitled bar in London

Untitled bar in London’s Dalston has won many plaudits since opening in March 2017. The third outpost from drinks maestro Tony Conigliaro, it’s much celebrated for its cutting-edge cocktails devised and curated with his pioneering Drink Factory team and the Japanese-inspired tapas by executive chef Rob Roy.

The concise drinks list is full of enigmatic-sounding drinks like Waif, Snow, Gonzo, Ghost, their names as stark as the minimalist interior, which takes its cues from Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory. A hefty 1.5 ton slab of polished concrete appears to float down its centre like a giant banqueting table, while artworks lean studio-style against silver foil-lined walls.

View of Moon Garden from Untitled’s dining room. Photography Andy Stagg

Now, just in time for summer, Untitled has unveiled an outdoor space created by London-based architecture and design practice SoHo+Co The appealingly titled Moon Garden is inspired by the gravel gardens of Japan. ‘it’s designed as a single pool of light, reflecting white during day, and lit by a glowing artificial moon at night,’ explain architects Jasmin Sohi and Tom Hoberton.

Moon Garden is located at the rear of the venue, with a covered platform that connects to the back of the restaurant providing a bar canopy and counter. While, outside black-stained decking provides a surface around the perimeter for planting and seating, this creates a soft, undulating enclosure around the central ‘garden’ of white resin-bound gravel, tucking under the canopy to provide a sheltered ‘engawa’ edge. Cast-concrete stools and tables provide additional mushroom-like seating and surfaces.

Created in partnership with Asahi Super Dry, Moon Garden bar serves Japanese beer on tap, sake and a dedicated cocktail menu. Meanwhile food is provided from an open yakitori charcoal grill.§