Coupette, Bethnal Green, E2

In the mid-19th century this was a pub called The Albion, ending its life as a pub – Bohola House – around 2010 to become the French-influenced Coupette in 2017, having garnered many accolades as well as being included in the World’s Best Bar awards twice, the highest being 18th in 2018; no mention of being in the Good Beer Guide though. This was only visited as it was once a pub, though no original trace exists apart from the huge Charrington’s ‘winged tankard’ plaque between the first and second floor windows. It’s very dark indeed inside, illumination seems to be mainly orange light. It’s extremely narrow and long in relation to its width, so to speak. There’s a mass of bare brick and some banquette seating to the front, but otherwise small high tables and chairs to the front half, then more conventional-height furniture to the rear, from where the sounds of piano and song wafted over from a talented chanteuse. The rear bar back is just rough brick, with shelves for bottles and the aforementioned awards. There’s also the intermittent deafening sound of a mechanical cocktail mixer; clearly the reviewers weren’t seated here. One item of note are the thousands of coins – nationality unknown due to lack of light – set into the bar top. I ordered a lager, which turned out to be from Freedom, placed on the bar with three beermats: one for the beer, one for a glass of water(?) and one for the bowl of salted popcorn; an accompanying glass had no mat, all for the princely sum of £4.44 on an assumed tab. This may be a good cocktail bar, but curiosity satisfied, I exited stage left, for the reality that is Bethnal Green.

Official site of Coupette - coupette.co.uk

Official site of Coupette - coupette.co.uk