If you’re not the greatest skier, things can go downhill a bit too quickly…
There is, however, the easy option of just skipping the sport entirely, leaving the uncomfortable boots at home and solely partaking in the après side of it. The part that usually happens after skiing where people go and get piste…
It’s what the peeps at The Queen of Hoxton have done for their latest seasonal theme, Queen of the Slopes. To celebrate the arrival of cold weather, they’ve transformed their rooftop bar into the sort of cosy winter wonderland you might encounter in Whistler or the Alps – sans the snow. The old pink stools from the summer have been swapped out for log seats where you can snuggle up over toasted marshmallows around a fire pit; twinkling fairy lights, skis and chalet decor cling to the wooden walls; and the first half of the rooftop (that area that greets you immediately from the entrance) is a covered wigwam cosily filled with cowhides, wood chips, gingham tablecloths and the sounds of boisterous groups clinking wintry beverages.
Besides dressing the interior in appropriate winter gear, the drinks and food have also been redesigned to help warm your cockles. Sustenance that’d normally serve you well for a day on the mountain, but here for a night in Shoreditch, arrives in the form of chicken schnitzel burgers, a steak burger with Swiss cheese, a vegan burger with ‘forest mushrooms’ and battered onion rings, hotdogs and poutine. The staff, who also embrace the theme (donning ski wear), mix you festive cocktails like an espresso-martini-esque creation that contains coffee and crème brûlée syrup or a ‘Snowstorm’ which brings together Jameson, Amarula cream liqueur, vanilla and oat cream. Other options include classic hot drinks like mulled wine and hot buttered rum.
And if you don’t fancy the terrace? There are several levels below it to keep you happy. The Queen of Hoxton’s colourfully illuminated interior includes a basement dancefloor, and an industrial ground floor bar with its own games room corner, where you’ll find table football, vintage pinball, table tennis, and a couple of 1960s games plucked from Brighton Pier.
So whatever you end up playing, you’re winning.
NOTE: The Queen of Hoxton is open Wednesday-Saturday. You can find out more, and make a booking, at their website right HERE.
The Queen of Hoxton | 1-5 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX
Since you’re in the area… check out our guide to the best restaurants in Shoreditch