If you were looking for one venue in Shoreditch that tidily sums up the place then you could do worse than starting with Forge & Co. Now, I’d like to describe the place as a restaurant and bar but in truth it’s so much more. Not content with sorting the eating and drinking part of your life for you, it also provides ‘co-working stations’ and team studios across multi-levels to take care of the business side for you too. So far, so Shoreditch. You might snark about this kind of place but all I can say is that with the Ace hotel doing a similar trade across the road – albeit in a more informal manner with its laptop workstations at every turn – Forge & Co. at least separates the work/leisure space. I don’t know about you but when I’m out in the evening for food and drinks I don’t want ten Apple logos glowing at me as I wind down…
Housed in a 1950’s building, the sharp, lounge interior is all about the style. There’s the relaxed informal sofa seating, carefully defined dining area and enough dashing interior touches to appreciate that this aesthetic took some planning.
The drinks menu consists of a range of small brewery beers on draught, cocktails and premium spirits while the food comes from the ‘Canteen’ in what is supposed to be “a nod to the eateries of the bygone trade union days.” Choose from classic trade union era dishes like roasted beetroot & walnut, whole sea bass and ox heart burgers. Okay, so the trade union thing is worth an eye roll but besides that Forge & Co. is as shiny and pretty as you want this kind of place to be. Famous DJ’s have curated the daytime playlists and there are nights on from Thursday through the weekend. Its heavily weighted towards the aesthetic side of things but what can I say, I like it.
