The Blues Kitchen Shoreditch is the latest opening from London-based bar and restaurant collection The Columbo Group. Located on Curtain Road, on the site formerly inhabited by Bar Music Hall, the new opening offers an East London sibling to the original Blues Kitchen which opened in Camden in 2009.
The Blues Kitchen offers Texan BBQ, live music seven nights a week, and showcases one of the biggest bourbon selections in the UK. Housed within a vast converted Victorian warehouse across two levels, The Blues Kitchen is able to accommodate up to 500 across a spacious diner, two bars, dance floor, stage and private events space.
Detail-obsessed devotee of Texas barbecue
Open daily for brunch, lunch and dinner, the southern American diner menu has been created by consultant pitmaster John Hargate of Brighton based BBQ Shack, and head chef Klodian Drici (formerly of Bodean’s). Hargate, a three-time winner of the British barbecue championship and detail-obsessed devotee of Texas barbecue, has helped create the kitchen and smoker set-up.
The Texan BBQ menu features cuts of beef and pork, smoked in-house for up to 16 hours over a blend of hickory, oak, mesquite and fruit woods, to impart flavour and texture into the meat. Options include Smoke roasted chicken or Slow smoked beef brisket, all served with fries and slaw. A 110 gallon lobster tank, installed into centre of main bar as a unique design feature, and houses live lobsters from Canada, available to order.
Bourbon and beer
The extensive bourbon collection features over 100 Kentucky bourbon, corn & wheated, small batch, Tennessee whiskey, single barrel, rye and vintage bottles. Highlights from the Kentucky bourbon and rye whiskey collections are the ‘William Heaven Hill’ (discontinued, 18 years), ‘Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project’, and the ‘Vintage Rye’. The focus of the cocktail list is on American whiskey classics such as the Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Whisky Sour and Mint Julep.
The Blues Kitchen in Shoreditch is the first and only venue in London to serve Crate Brewery on draught, which is brewed locally in Hackney Wick. Perhaps only for the most adventurous amongst us, the Blues Kitchen also stocks Snake Venom, the world’s strongest beer at 67.5%. Other bottled beers include Dixie, Camden Pale Ale, Kona Big Wave Golden Ale and Brooklyn Lager.
Live acts and DJs
The Columbo Group is known for its cutting edge live acts and DJs. The new line-up in Shoreditch offers something to suit everyone’s taste, encompassing a variety of genres, Monday acoustic blues, Tuesday live swing and dance, Wednesday Blues Jam, and from Thursday through the weekend there will be live touring acts and DJs. Regular guests at the original Blues Kitchen include some of the world’s biggest blues artists such as the Rolling Stones go-to guitar man, Gary Clark Jr., and the absolute blues legend, Seasick Steve.
The site
The new site, located in the heart of Shoreditch’s bustling strip, is an expansive industrial space, comprising of multiple areas all designed for drinking, dining and dancing, and all differing in style. Upon arrival, guests are met by a majestic centrepiece island bar, which was built by specialist tilers, Craven Dunhill Jackfield (est. 1872) and is the first time that they have built a bar in London in over a 100 years. This company is the authority in historic tiling, highlighted by their high profile projects which include restoring the tiles of Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. From the bar you are able to order drinks, or enjoy a more casual counter dining experience. To the left an elevated level hosts a series of giant booths, including one large high roller booth, accommodating up to 20. A stage and dance floor takes up the right hand side of the area whilst the back of the space is inhabited by a vintage, 1950s silver Airstream caravan, in which guests will be able to hire out, or use as a VIP drinks area. Further party space and dining is available in the venues basement.
The Blues Kitchen
134-146 Curtain Road London EC2A 3AR
theblueskitchen.com @TheBluesKitchen
John Hargate
John Hargate started to cook Pit BBQ in Houston, Texas in 1996. His down to earth style and smoked meats which he served at Brighton based BBQ Shack gained critical acclaim from some of Britain’s most renowned food critics. A three-time winner of the British barbecue championship and detail-obsessed devotee of Texas barbecue, he will work on the kitchen and smoker set-up.
The Columbo Group
The Columbo Group was founded by Steve Ball and Riz Shaikh in 2006. The group’s existing venues include The Blues Kitchen in Camden, Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green, The Old Queens Head in Islington, XOYO in Shoreditch, Love & Liquor in Kilburn and Dalston’s The Nest. The company is known for its distinctive and stylish interior design, its roster of cutting edge live acts, DJs and broad-minded approach to cuisine from BBQ and all-American diner fare to classic British cookery.