Address: 63-65 Broadway Market, Haggerston, E8 4PH, UK.
House: Wed-Fri 5pm-late; Sat-Sun 1pm-late
Contact: portsideparlour@gmail.com
Type: Pop-Up Rum Bar
Portside Parlour is a specialist rum bar in the East End, showcasing some 50 rums from around the globe, all tucked neatly inside a hidden, candle-lit basement. In partnership with Appleton Estate Rum, you'll find it beneath Off Broadway on Broadway Market, entry gained from inside a fake bathroom: flush the overhead cistern to find the hidden door. It's a pop-up, so get it while you can!
Crimson walls, dark wood furniture and fancy candelabras all create a den-like atmosphere. Rums from across the Caribbean and South America (not just Appleton-produced) are available, with most at £4-5 and the most expensive at £25. Bottles are kept on deep, dark shelves - and you can buy your own (from £60 to £240 per bottle) and keep it in 'Davey Jones' lockers. Don't expect any vodkas, gins or whiskies. A list of rum cocktails is hidden inside antique books on the tables - listing classics and twists, all at around £8. Hot buttered rum and mulled cider arrive in copper tea pots to share.
This neighbourhood bar is buzzy and relaxed and the clientele are all dressed down - a suit would be ridiculously out of place here. With laid-back table service from charismatic staff, it's not exactly like being in Jamaica but hey, it's warm and there's plenty of rum. Pop-up closures are often fairly fluid but we expect this one to close in May. 4/5
