As keen self-proclaimed cocktail connoisseurs who have done our fair share of laps around London’s bar scene, we’re always on the lookout for the next bar that will shake things up – quite literally. Because in a city where bartenders clarify and ferment almost everything under the sun, innovation isn’t always easy to come by. Yet at FlipDog, the newest arrival in Old Street, Shoreditch, innovation comes from a surprisingly simple and rudimentary technique – loggerhead (also called iron poker, or flipdog).

What is FlipDog?

FlipDog is the latest cocktail bar to land in Old Street, Shoreditch, having opened its doors just last week. Founded by Ukrainian visionaries Artem Skapenko, an award-winning bartender, and Alex Kostenyuk, a hospitality entrepreneur, the venue brings a few distinctive methods to cocktail-making, including the historic technique of iron pokering, or flipdog. This particular method does sound like something from a blacksmith’s workshop than a cocktail bar, but there’s method (pun intended) in the madness.

The bartenders use a metal poker (either heated to extremely high temperatures or chilled) and plunge it briefly into the drink. This temperature shock caramelises sugars, intensifies aromas, and brings out new layers of flavour(more on that below).

What to expect when you arrive

Walk in and you’ll find a very intimate 12-seater space with ten highballs on offer. These approachable drinks can make the everyday palate happy, but for the serious cocktail drinkers out there, this is merely the warm-up act.

Downstairs is really where the cocktail knowledge and artistry are shown, and where the real adventure is at. The basement cocktail bar sits 80 guests and opens from 5pm, offering a far more immersive cocktail experience.

For starters, the space is intriguingly quirky, with industrial touches around the bar and spacious booths upholstered in plush velvet, backed by playful wallpaper. Designed by internationally acclaimed studio YOD Group, the space feels eclectic and moody. It really draws you in.

What’s on the cocktail menu?

On this floor, the focus shifts firmly to technique, with 22 signature cocktails built around different preparation methods. At the time of our visit, the menu was significantly smaller, but we were told the remaining drinks would be rolled out soon after the soft opening. There are two concepts to note:

The first side of the menu, the “Flip10”, features ten cocktails created to evoke nostalgia and memory through flavour, using the iron poker method. We tried:

Morning at the Platform: Think bourbon, Disaronno, sherry and coffee. Need we elaborate? This cocktail almost convinced us that adding a shot of bourbon to our afternoon double espresso isn’t such a bad idea after all. The loggerhead heated to 1200°C intensifies the roasted, caffeinated notes and has a lovely smoky edge. It’s meant to capture the morning rush at a London station.

YDM: Two rockstars, Tanqueray No.Ten and Roku gin, meet on centre stage for an exclusive performance of flavours. Add vermouth and yuzu brine to it, and you get yourself a gloriously refreshing beverage.

Walking on Hyde Park: One for the Aperol Spritz fanatics out there. Though it closely resembles our favourite orange drink – the flavours are distinctive and much more layered. The hint of fig leaf liqueur comes through about two seconds after the first swig and adds a rather lovely, herby kick. You go from “this is nice” to “hang on, this is really good” pretty quickly.

Necta 2: This is a dessert-y rum-based cocktail with vermouth and persimmon (you’ll get all the flavours in every sip so it’s much more than just a creamy, sickly sweet cocktail – again, it’s beautifully layered).

Other cocktails that are yet to be added to the menu include:

• Foggy Morning which also uses the cold loggerhead technique,
• Cab Ride at Night, a rum-based cocktail aged in clay
• Hangover Double Cheese, which explores savoury layering
• At the Pub, which uses carbonation as a playful nod to the classic half-pint.

The second side of the menu features twelve signature serves – modern twists on classic cocktails.

And what’s the food menu like?

And to make sure you’re not chugging cocktails on an empty stomach, there’s a pared-back menu of shareable dishes created by Chef Anton Vasyliev. Options range from chicken katsu sandwich to Thai-style beef tartare and octopus skewer – inspired by Asian and Eastern European cuisines.

In keeping with the current trend of pairing desserts with after-dinner cocktails, the menu features two options: a matcha trifle – so quaint it could pass as a prop in a Wes Anderson film – and a lemon and yuzu posset. As it turns out, there’s something undeniably freeing about settling into a thick layer of rich cream at 7 PM.

Verdict

These are some of the most inventive and complex cocktails we have tried in London, and it’s not just adding complexity for marketing-sake: the drinks are excellent. A convenient central location, a striking space, and staff who are both friendly and highly knowledgeable make it a must-try for all the cocktail lovers with a discerning palate.

Key details

Address: 104-122 City Rd, London EC1V 2NR

Website: flipdog.uk

Socials: @flipdog.ldn

Read more

March in food: The most anticipated restaurant launches in London

Wahaca is celebrating Margarita Month with two bold new cocktails

Afternoon tea at Mariage Frères: It’s a full Bridgerton moment