Embassy

This glitzy two-floor hang-out proclaims itself ‘Islington’s original DJ & cocktail bar’. The owner’s passion for vinyl is evident; dozens of 45s with candy-bright centres are plastered over the wall behind the central bar. On Friday & Saturday nights, a party-hearty crowd heads here to dance to soul, funk, house, hip-hop & R&B until 2.30am. The food has changed in the past year: pizzas are out & Thai is in. There’s a fair choice of wines & some bottled beers, but as the tagline says, Embassy is all about cocktails. Bar staff mix your poison, whether it’s a fruity Berry Delicious (Plymouth gin muddled with vanilla syrup, lemon juice & raspberries) or a creamy Mudslide (Absolut vodka, Kahlúa & Baileys with milk or cream, in a glass drizzled with chocolate sauce).