Stoke Newington bar, Victory Mansion, serves ambitious cocktails in a cozy setting.
Named after the protagonist’s home in Orwell’s 1984 (check out the CCTV spotlights on the bar’s exterior signage) and co-run by six mates (including two awarding-winning mixologists: Stuart Binks and Benji Purslow) who refurbed the venue by tapping into their own reserves of savings and elbow grease, Victory Mansion is a neighbourhood bar in Stoke Newington.
Phew! What a run on sentence! Sorry about that. But perhaps it’s befitting as this friendly Stokey bar jams a lot of wow factor fun into a tiny space.
Focus here is on intriguing signature cocktails to be enjoyed in a laidback setting. During my sip-through mission through the drinks list, I liked most the Robison Curacao (Calle 23 tequila, curacao, capsicum, lime, chilli bitters, mezcal spray, and Robinson’s ice cubes, £8.50). It had a seriously fierly kick! I liked the Very Hungry Manzanilla too (Plantation 3 white rum, sage and mint agave, manzanilla, lime, and soda, £8.50). Quirky mixes for sure – but they worked.
A bit less “out there” than the cocktails but hardly conventional, the food menu of small plates is designed to share over drinks. Items are priced between £5 and £8. I found the lamb rump with green tomato, apricot, chipotle and sour cream (£8) especially impressive.
Victory Mansion is located at 18 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 7PL. Find out more at victorymansion.co.uk.
