Updated 7/11/22 with opening date
It was only a matter of time: Shoreditch is getting its first natural wine bar. Starting out in 2020 as a next-day-UK-wide-wine-delivery service during lockdown, Oranj is morphing beyond being an online portal to a dedicated bar and kitchen, where you can sip low-ABV reds from Jura while chatting with rotating guest chefs doing residencies in a 2000-square-foot warehouse. So far, so Shoreditch.
As the name suggests, there’ll be plenty of orange wines from around the world, but if you’re not into natural wine, fear not. There will be Lambic beer as well as a classic cocktail list with offerings that include chilli margaritas and smoked tea Old Fashioneds.
Behind the site’s transformation is Oranj founder Jasper Delamothe, who has spent years designing bars and wants to retain elements of the warehouse’s former history as a stable. On top of that, he's adding a bit of fermentation-inspiration by incorporating into the design materials used in ageing wine: walnut, aluminium and concrete.
The first residency in the kitchen is street-food favourites Decatur, so you can expect a taste of the American South and hopefully we'll also see some of their baked oysters.
We’re keen to see who the other guest chefs will be, given that Oranj has been doing monthly collaborations up till now with top restaurants and bars, such as The Clove Club, Brat, Manteca, Tacos Padre, Rita’s and P Franco. Regardless of who is in the kitchen, there will also be a fixed bar menu of small hot plates and light snacks to accompany your zingy Catalonian whites; think: croquetas, tortilla de patatas, cured hams and cheeses.
More about Oranj
Where is it? 14 Bacon Street, London E1 6LF
When does it open? 10 November 2022
When is the Decatur residency? 1-22 December 2022, Thursday-Saturday
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @oranjwine.
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