Address: 144-145 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 1QY, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 207 226 7660
Website: view Wax Jambu’s website
Door: Open door/walk-ins
Style: Gastro pub
Food: Set menu
Named after the bell-shaped sub-tropical edible berry, Wax Jambu occupies the site which was formally Kinky Mambo. Its four young owners are all bartenders who came to London specifically to open their own bar and they would seem to be making something of a success of it.
The frontage of Wax Jambu is thrown open in the summer to reveal a large space that is broken up with a multi-level floor. A central staircase leads to a smaller second floor bar which is set to become a dedicated rum bar. A DJ booth nestles under the stairs while a panoramic forest scene stretches across one wall behind with a similar view of lakes opposite.
The bar itself skirts the back wall and offers eleven wines by the glass, bottled beers such as Bohemia and Anchor Steam and five draught offerings. But this is a cocktail bar and a rather good one at that. The menu has a couple of pages of classics followed by 24 of the bars own seasonally categorised libations.