The Alchemist, Canary Wharf, E14

Official site of The Alchemist - thealchemist.uk.com

Official site of The Alchemist - thealchemist.uk.com

Modern bar (lower floor) and restaurant (upper storey) on the main surface route between the Canada Square / Cabot Place offices / shopping malls and Canary Wharf tube so always very busy most evenings (especially when the sun is out). Not a huge amount of seating inside the relatively narrow, glass fronted rectangular bar, but rather more outside under the umbrellas. Very poor draught beer selection - just Amstel and Kruscovice (£4.95) on the duplicated keg taps.

Smollensky’s is a long thin contemporary bar that is separate but complementary to the much larger Smollensky’s restaurant above. The bar supports some standard draught products and food is available. I didn’t look in a menu, but the light bites were pretty expensive with chicken wings coming in at £7.50 a portion. Once the two bar staff had finished nattering away in their mother tongue, Spanish I think, I was politely served. During my recent Friday afternoon visit there was some background music playing and I noted that there are no televisions. The furniture is mainly made up of high tables that run along the front windows. The outside seating area also consists of high tables and chairs. I popped in here because I needed a leak before getting on the tube and as a toilet this place served its purpose. I’m not sure I would return if I wasn’t bladder heavy, although the pickings around this manner are few and far between.