Pubs are a dime a dozen in Hackney, a historic working class quarter in London that has, in recent years, been experiencing a surge of gentrification marked by the arrival of young creatives, hipster studios and agencies, and under the radar boutiques.
Martello Hall – named after the main road that once connected the St Augustine Tower, Hackney’s oldest building, to London Fields – is a natural heir to this uptick of fortune, with the millennial working generation firmly in its cross-hairs. Housed in a mid-19th-century pile, it is the debut effort for the fledgling F&B group, Albion and East. Its MO is particularly interesting. By day, design studio Red Deer’s weathered interiors of furniture constructed of weathered timber, specially aged plaster, raw unvarnished ceilings, acid-treated copper bar tops and columns wrapped in braided rope are the stage for hot-desking, coffee and wood-fired pizzas.
Come the night, and the space turns into a cocktail bar with young DJs spinning vinyl classics alongside live bands. Lubricating the festivities is an on-site gin distillery, whose small batches are paired with home-made syrups and limoncellos, and locally sourced beers.
Meanwhile, the kitchen turns out zhooshed-up bar food like pizzas topped with Tuscany salami, mozzarella and hot honey, baby bomboloni served with Nutella, and torta fritta, small fried dumplings, that appear at the table amidst house-cured pickles, pardon peppers and rocket pesto.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
137 Mare Street
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mariell Lind Hansen
-
The best New York rooftop bars that go above and beyondFrom the West Side to Williamsburg, these are the very best watering holes for good booze, stylish patios and even better views
-
Swiss unveils new long-haul cabins, including a superior double bed suiteFour redesigned cabins, five types of business seats, and two exclusive first-class suites. Here’s what Swiss is betting on for its next-generation fleet
-
Remembering Robert Wilson, master of spectacle and light (1941-2025)American theatre set creator and former Wallpaper* guest editor, Robert Wilson has died, aged 83. We look back at his remarkable life and works
-
Café Kitsuné doubles down on London with a new locationCafé Kitsuné continues its global expansion with a bijou two-floor venue in Covent Garden that prioritises both craft and flavour
-
You can live out your Gatsby dreams, thanks to Claridge’s new Jazz Age-themed sleepoverCheck in for the legendary hotel's Bright Young Things Sleepover — Shalimar perfume included
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
An exclusive look inside Cafe Murano Marylebone, Angela Hartnett’s latest culinary outpostCafe Murano Marylebone offers an intimate and homely atmosphere for Italian breakfasts, lunches and dinners
-
A quintessentially British new dining destination alights on the banks of the ThamesBrasserie Constance, a new project from chef Adam Byatt, pays homage to pioneering florist Constance Spry
-
Cicchetti Piccadilly is like dining inside a Venetian sunset. Here's what we ateSan Carlo Group’s beloved Italian haunt returns with a glowing new look, just steps from its original home
-
Industrial chic meets Thai heat at the new incarnation of a beloved London restaurantSingburi 2.0 brings all the hot and sour thrills of the original haunt in cool Shoreditch surrounds
-
Here’s how Heathrow is reimagining airport chaos as ambient musicGrammy-nominated Jordan Rakei turns travel noise into a meditative soundtrack by sampling everything from baggage belts to jet engines
