A Shacklewell railway arch is the unlikely setting for a ‘laboratory of creative cocktail wizardry’ – the latest addition to the socialising opportunities at Hackney Downs Studios. Done out in rustic ‘garden shed’ style and tucked away behind the well-loved Russet (a congenial café-bar and arts space), The Shrubbery is all about unusual drinks made from sustainably sourced ingredients. Ask the mixology wizards to conjure up classic recipes or sink one of their house potions and infusions – perhaps original nutter (an Amaretto and bourbon flip) or Miss Scarlet (a Cognac, Antica Formula port and black walnut bitters idea). There’s also a profusion of shrubs with a suitably botanical bent – Somerset brandy with pear and vanilla, for example. Wines start at £16.50 for a Tempranillo, while local ales come from Five Points and Pressure Drop.