KRAFT Dalston

On one of Dalston’s busiest streets you’ll find Locke, a modern aparthotel with millennial-friendly studios ready to rent at a moment’s notice. The venue’s in-house restaurant is just as innovative, fusing two of London’s ‘hipster’ names from the dining scene for a gourmet kebab and distillery experience.

That’s right, cult makers of the posh kebab, Le Bab, have a residency here, serving up dishes such as meat butter naan, Turkish Korean fried chicken and aubergine sabich with house chilli sauce, peanut pesto and vegan mayo. Staying true to the concept, all food is served on metal trays for an informal feel. The vibe is ever-so-slightly ‘hangover food’, so come very hungry and happy to get your hands dirty.

The other part of the collaboration is with German Kraft which specialises in tank-fresh craft beer and sustainable urban gin distillery Jim and Tonic, both of which you can see happening in the restaurant which adds nicely to the experience. Indeed, order a drink off the menu and it won’t have travelled far, as you can see the copper distilling pipes on the venue’s lower ground floor. We recommend having a nosey around and asking the staff to tell you more.

There’s a whole host of gins to choose from but we particularly liked the Roobee Rhubarb Gin, paired with elderflower tonic, raspberry and basil. A refreshing and not overly sweet treat. If you fancy something botanical, though, the Mercato Mediterranean Gin with Indian tonic, orange and rosemary hits a herbier note.

KRAFT Dalston is a brewery, bar and restaurant found within Locke Dalston, a trendy aparthotel in east London.

The collaboration is a joint venture between established kebab restaurant Le Bab (which currently has other locations in Soho, Covent Garden and Old Street), sustainable beer enthusiasts German Kraft Brewery and urban gin distillery Jim and Tonic. While each brand might bring a different hero product, the three food and drink partners have a centrally cohesive ethos which focuses on sustainably driven produce and high-quality ingredients.

Within the restaurant there is an onsite brewery as well as an onsite distillery which are both visible through glass walls. This industrial vibe is played on throughout the rest of the interiors too, with lots of mixed metals and a polished concrete floor. These aspects are softened with colourful furnishings, mixed textiles, and plenty of planted greenery.

The food menu features slider-sized kebabs that are aimed at a sharing style format. This allows you to try a few different things from the kitchen team who use Michelin starred techniques to refine classic kebab flavours. Combinations include the brand’s famous 15-hour pork shawarma which is made from free-range meat and served with pickled cucumber, chermoula mayo and a foraged herb mix. Elsewhere there are vegetarian options like the grilled paneer which is marinated in Indian spices and presented on a bed of beetroot and coconut puree with curry mayonnaise. Regular limited-edition combinations ensure there’s always something new to try, and there is a whole range of snacks and mezzes for grazing on too, if you’d prefer something lighter.

Beer enthusiasts will love that the beer on site is served straight from steel tanks behind the bar. Aside from being aesthetically pleasing this avoids the need for packaging or transportation and the recipes only use water, malt, hops and yeast for a pure finished product. The malts are sourced from a 400-year-old brewery and there’s a selection of styles from full bodied largers through to dry-hopped wheat beers.