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.§
