Red Hand

You'll find Red Hand tucked into Stoke Newington Road, the kind of place that feels like it's been there forever even if it hasn't. Walk in and you're immediately struck by how unfussy it all is — wood, dim lighting, a bar that looks like people actually use it rather than just photograph it. The crowd's a proper mix: locals catching up over a pint, groups settling in for the evening, the odd lone drinker who clearly knows their way around a drinks menu. There's something refreshingly unpretentious about how they approach cocktails and spirits here; skilled without the showiness. It's the sort of bar where you can ask for a recommendation and actually get something good rather than whatever's Instagram-friendly that week.