The Macbeth, an icon of indie sleaze, goes from grotty to gastro

Few London pubs come with the East End lore of The Macbeth, which is to noughties indie sleaze what the Blind Beggar is to '60s Kray twins legend. It was here, in 2006, that Blake Fielder-Civil, Amy Winehouse’s then-husband, inflicted grievous bodily harm on the pub’s landlord.

Now, after a decade or so as a live music venue, The Macbeth has been taken over by Jamie Allan, the chef who transformed The Plimsoll in Finsbury Park into north London’s most food-forward pub. This time, however, Allan’s culinary inspiration draws more from his recent fish bar project, Tollington’s, with a Portuguese-inflected menu.

Wallpaper* dines at The Macbeth, London

The mood: built to last and made to linger

Allan, a Hackney native, is keen to return the pub to its local roots. He has collaborated with Studio Hatcham Architects to highlight original features, such as the tiled mural of Macbeth terrified by Banquo’s ghost. Furniture has been handmade by C.A Structures, while Caspar Hornak has designed a new English oak bar.

‘It might sound like a small thing to think about,’ Allan says, ‘but we take immense satisfaction in the fact that the new oak bar we’ve built will outlast all of us. That kind of encapsulates what we’re doing: mixing a bit of the past with a bit of the future to make the present feel like somewhere you can sit with a few mates or loved ones and let the hours drift by.’

The food: small plates for late nights

The Macbeth has gone from grotty to gastro, with a menu inspired by the simple, no-frills fare of Portuguese tascas. Pick and mix from specialities like percebes (goose barnacles), cockles with garlic, and sheep’s cheese with olives, or fill up on larger plates such as roasted meats with piri-piri sauce. Or just stuff yourself with custard tarts.

Drinks include Crafty Apple Session Cider from Walthamstow’s Real Al Company, classic cocktails and a Spanish-led European wine list. The opening hours are Continental too – last food orders on Fridays and Saturdays are at 11 pm.

As for last drinks orders: ‘Expect to stay in here till we turn the lights on at 2 am,’ says Allan. Who needs lock-ins?

The Macbeth is located at 70 Hoxton St, London N1 6LP, UK.