Ombra Bar

Housed in a former art gallery by the banks of the Regent’s Canal, Ombra brings some gregarious Venetian vibes to trend-conscious Bethnal Green. Edgy interior design, tall brown-tinted windows, second-hand furniture & a riot of high-gloss pink, blue & yellow tables by artist Russell Bamber point up the fashionable aesthetic, & the chalkboard menu mixes cicchetti nibbles such as burrata pugliese or baccalà mantecato (creamy whipped salt cod) with more mainstream plates of pasta & suchlike (think aubergine parmigiana or homemade spaghetti with chilli, tomato & guanciale bacon). Vegetables & artisan breads are procured locally & meat comes from the Ginger Pig (try the finely sliced, delicately marinated ‘carne salata’). Ombra’s other trump card is its selection of traditional Venetian ‘spritzs’, backed up by some fine Italian wines & digestifs.