Luckily enough to be right on the River Lea with the water and boats and the Olympic Stadium in it’s backyard, Number 90 Kitchen is a pub, restaurant, and it is also an amazingly cool place to hang out.
Let’s start with the outdoor terrace. Now is there anywhere else where you’d want be – sipping fabulous drinks and cocktails amidst the cool ambience? It’s a very large terrace, perhaps almost as large as the restaurant itself, wooden tables with wooden benches, some raised, overlooking the beautiful canal (well, the canal is actually very dirty, and the water is not exactly blue, but at nightime you can’t tell!). However, it’s nice to be near the water anywhere in London. Overall, Number 90 is a massive venue, with a cool atmosphere – and includes a D.J. booth. Number 90 also has a great food menu and an even better cocktail menu – the drinks are superb!
The N199 Lemon Pie cocktail was so unlike anything you’ll ever drink. Infused with vodka, lemon mousse, lime juice and topped with gingerbread it was both sweet and delicious. If you want something a bit less desserty, try the N31 Gin drink, which is made with apple juice and cucumber garnish. It actually tasted a bit too healthy! Another recommendation is the drink named after the restaurant – the refreshing N90. It’s made wth Appleton Rum, mango juice, angustura bitters and topped with ginger beer. Please do order this! I would remiss to not forget about the N68 (no, it’s not a night bus) midnight expresso bourbon drink, with Frangelico, Kahlua, Orange Bitters, and topped with whipped cream. I recommend ending the night with this drink – it’s perfect!
Food at Number 90 Kitchen and Bar can be summed up as Bar & Kitchen. While it’s not a culinary lovers delight, the food does satisfy the need to fill an empty stomach while at the same time slamming down cocktails. The night me and my dining companion went we had a variety of menu items, all very affordable and good. The BBQ pulled pork burger, served with crunchy slaw, was good, as was the beef burger, topped with the delicious chutney and bacconaise sause. The Halloumi Sticks, with tomato salsa on the side, was a bit bland and not very sexy, but the sweet potato fries were a winner. For dessert, it was the polenta cake that won hands down, an absolute delis of a dish!
But as mentioned before it’s not really the food that people go to Number 90 for. It’s the hipster location and the vibe, along with it being one of the few bars/pubs around in the area (It’s a 15-minute walk to Stratford and a 3-minute walk to Hackney Wick overground station). Number 90 also houses a small gallery where they hold exibits from time to time, as well as some of the finest DJ’s are showcased, and they will also be serving up a Christmas menu (yes, it’s less than three months away – so book now).For any and all information about Number 90 Bar & Kitchen, please go to it’s website:
Photos from Kapranos PR
Review by Tim Baros