Hoxton, like neighbouring Shoreditch, probably has more young creatives per square centimetre than any other part of London. The winding backstreets of period houses and old mansion blocks are full of character, so young designers and start-up entrepreneurs love to live, socialise and work here. And, as you might expect, the fashionable locals have shaped the area in their image, meaning its packed with fun bars, cafés and restaurants offering all manner of quirky experiences. Hoxton Bar and Kitchen is a spacious and popular local with regular spots for emerging bands, but you can make music too if you sign up to their Monday night ukulele lessons.
There’s more live music over at Nightjar, a bar serving a fantastical array of cocktails, including one which comes smoking to your table in a large, metallic owl. Or maybe you feel like entering through the gilt-framed doorway into the decadent world of The Looking Glass Cocktail Club with its baroque furniture and velvet drapes. If you’re a true Hoxton-er, once you’ve downed your last mojito, you’re ready to hit the clubs and XOYO, close by, lets the best of the capital’s DJs to take you through the night. Don’t like the music? See who’s playing at Roadtrip and the Workshop, a venue for new bands and DJs. Chances are, you’ll never run out of places to go in this vibrant part of town.
