Everafter

Everafter | Neighbourhood Cocktail 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 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 aperitivo spot; by night, candles are lit and the place takes on a more romantic, intimate tone.

So how about the drinks? Well, sure, you could come here for a crisp pint at the end of a long day, or pluck a bottle from the unusual wine rack clinging to one of the walls. But really, it would be criminal not to try one of the cocktails. Unsurprisingly for a sibling of Happiness Forgets, Everafter does some truly fantastic drinks – ingredients are inventive without sounding inedible; and each concoction will give you change from a tenner.

The line-up changes regularly, but a couple of house favourites likely to stick around include the martini, made to the Dukes recipe but toned down so you can actually stand up afterwards; a peach and sherry cobbler, which feels like the more sophisticated cousin to an Aperol spritz; and a Blueberry Negroni, flush with blueberry-infused gin and a French dessert wine. They’re accompanied by a roster of specials like the Bavarian Sour, with red vermouth, crème de banane and cardamom.

Just to spice things up.

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