CINCO is both a subtly hidden bar and an aggressively obvious one at the same time.
Allow us to explain: you’ll find it down an unmarked, anonymous staircase just to the side of Corrochio’s, the heavingly popular Mexican restaurant on Kingsland Road. It feels completely inconspicuous – if not for one small detail: a colossally bright cinema marquee above that staircase that has the word CINCO emblazoned across it like it’s the next blockbuster. But the thing is, if you didn’t already know what that means, you’d walk straight past it, completely unawares.
The bar itself is run by Guadalajara-born Daniel Corrochio and his partner Amy McQuarrie, and it’s the same space where they originally launched their upstairs operation just under four years ago. Having now outgrown their initial venue, they’ve returned to the basement, only this time with the triumphant aura of someone returning to their childhood home after making it big.
So, back to those stairs. Once you descend, you’ll find yourself in a beautifully atmospheric space: stripped concrete walls, low lighting, and the gentle flicker of orange flame from candles filling up the open fireplace. The ceiling is covered in beautiful little Mexican trinkets, and there’s an evocative smell of wood & spices. The room is petite but feels somehow expansive, a kind of intimate pocket of warmth.
Then, there’s the drinks menu, which comes in the form of a beautifully embroidered passport. True to its name (CINCO means five in Spanish), it’s split into three sections, each with five drinks – one focused on agave-based spirits, another on other-Mexican-Spirits-based drinks, and a lo&no section. Standouts include some pear & apple tepache with pear liqueur and calvados (which comes in a tankard that could double as a small bird bath), and a short-but-punchy glass of Padresito, which is a blend of mezcal and a house-made ginger & honey liqueur.
The food menu follows the same rule of fives, with a rotating selection of tacos. But you will hopefully be able to get the signature XO Taco, which is a gorgeous deep-fried panko-crusted pork belly number served on a bed of XO sauce, topped with salsa borracha and pink pickled radish.
Genuinely speaking, the team here love what they do. Ask them to talk you through the back bar, and the multiple rows of mezcals, and they’ll basically give you a tequila TED talk. The bottles aren’t on order by some massive supplier or chain, they’re just what Daniel & Amy picked up when they were last in Mexico. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, and there’s plenty of gold in there.
NOTE: CINCO is open now, Wednesday to Saturday. You can find out more, and make a booking at the CINO website.
CINCO | 76 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 7XB
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