Monica Berg and Alex Kratena's dual-concept bar that split cocktail drinking into two rooms and two philosophies. Elementary, at the front, is a walk-in counter for quick, brilliant, affordable drinks — the menu changes constantly and the focus is on speed and precision. Tayēr, at the back, is the reservations-only room where cocktails are constructed with a technical ambition that has placed the bar consistently in the World's 50 Best. The dual format was revolutionary: nobody had formalized the distinction between a quick drink and a considered one in the same space before. Old Street, on the border of Shoreditch and the City.
Location
Old Street, London
Map
Insider Intel
Elementary first — walk in, sit at the counter, and order from whatever is on the board. The drinks are fast, cheap (for London), and technically perfect. Then book Tayēr for the full experience: the menu is seasonal, ingredient-driven, and built around techniques that other bars will be copying in two years. Let the bartenders guide you. The non-alcoholic options are taken seriously.
Elementary works any time from afternoon onwards — drop in between things, no reservation needed. Tayēr requires a booking, especially Thursday-Saturday. Early evening in Tayēr gives you the bartenders' full attention. The Old Street location is central enough to combine with dinner in Shoreditch or Clerkenwell.
Two bars in one: Elementary (front, walk-in, quick drinks, £8-12) and Tayēr (back, reservations, full cocktail programme, £14-18). Book Tayēr in advance. Old Street tube is steps away. Monica Berg and Alex Kratena built this after leaving top programmes at other bars. World's 50 Best Bars regular. Cards preferred.