Clapton Craft, E17

A spacious bar-sized offshoot of the Clapton Craft bottle shop chain, set in a former retail unit near Wood Street station. The space is simple but well laid-out, with large front windows, concrete floors, and plain white walls. A long counter sits at the rear left, with a small beer board to one side and taps mounted on the bar back. Above is a beam lined with keg badges. The left wall holds shelves packed with wine bottles, while the rear right corner is home to fridges full of craft beer cans and bottles. Seating includes a high ledge with stools by the window, two long communal tables behind, and more tables and chairs throughout. A passageway leads to a few booths, a merch rail, and the cold store. Eclectic music was playing and the general vibe felt lively, although the bar staff came across as a little aloof. They had seven craft keg beers on the go – a wider range than you would find in one of their bottle shops - plus one cider, one alcohol-free beer and two lagers. I tried the Time and Tide Session IPA (£6.80 a pint), which was good but undeniably expensive. I’m not a massive fan of drinking in bottle shops, so I think it’s a good idea that this chain has branched out into something a bit more comfortable like this. The wider range and improved seating options mean that this is somewhere I could envisage spending more time in than their regular outlets, although the steep prices effectively wipe out that gain and would be the main reason to make me think twice about a return visit. Date of visit: 22nd March 2025

Facebook page of Clapton Craft - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Clapton Craft - www.facebook.com

Official site of Clapton Craft - www.claptoncraft.co.uk

Official site of Clapton Craft - www.claptoncraft.co.uk