Everafter | Neighbourhood Wine Bar in Hoxton
This cosy spot on Hoxton Square used to be Petit Pois Bistro.
But it’s now – happily – Everafter.
It’s still run by the same team, who are also behind the highly recommended cocktail bar Happiness Forgets (which you’ll find just downstairs). Petit Pois was the restaurant wing of the operation, and it was good. If anything, it was a little too good – because when it scored a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand, the place was swamped with bookings from punters expecting a fine dining experience, as opposed to the warm, relaxed, neighbourhood dining it did so well. So the team decided, Lyaness-style, to switch everything up and try something new, gearing up to open Everafter in March 2020.
And we all know how that story ended.
Now, having weathered the pandemic, it’s properly up and running – and what an absolute beauty it is. Somehow, in the middle of one of the busiest, most raucous patches of town, they’ve created a laid-back wine bar and eatery that feels like your local.
The decor at Everafter is largely unchanged from its previous incarnation, with exposed brick walls and pea-green tiles; high, marble-topped tables; and stools lining the long bar-top that runs almost the length of the space. By day, the outside tables overlooking the leafy square make for a peaceful pre-dinner drinks spot; by night, candles are lit and the place takes on a more romantic, intimate tone.
So how about the drinks? Well, the unusual wine rack clinging to the walls holds bottles from all over the world. There are skin contacts from Spain, a quirky pet nat rioja, and a Slovakian red alongside the more typical Californian, French and Italian offerings. And if you’re more in the mood for a cocktail, well, the team know what they’re doing – and you can order from a handful of classics that’ll only set you back a tenner.
Meanwhile, the kitchen turns out a well-executed array of small plates – you can build your own banquet of sea bream & clams in a buttermilk sauce; lamb rump & black garlic with crispy sweetbreads; paprika-cured salmon with torched cantaloupe and lobster oil; and some tagliatelle dressed with truffle and almond.
It’s a little above your typical cheeseboard & charcuterie stuff.
NOTE: Everafter is open daily. You can find out more, and book, HERE.
Everafter | 9 Hoxton Square, London N1 6NU
Spend a lot of time in East London? Check out our guide to the best bars in Shoreditch