The background

Opened in 2021, Apothecary East is Charlotte Road’s nod to Toyko’s izakaya scene. A typical night at an izakaya is a casual, social affair and starts by pulling up a bar stool, grabbing a beer, ordering sharing plates such as grilled meat and vegetable skewers, and then nibbling on edamame while you wait. Apothecary East looks to merge the buzz and fun found in these Tokyo establishments with Shoreditch’s celebrated energy. The place takes its name from the building’s former use as a pharmacy in the Victorian era, and inside you’ll find Japanese-style small plates and bar snacks, as well as highballs, sake and spirits – all enjoyed to an upbeat playlist of classics curated by London music aficionado Spiritland.

The space

Once past the vibrant, neon-lit bar at the front of the restaurant, guests are welcomed into a sophisticated dining area. Green leather booths offer smaller groups the perfect amount of dining space to feel that there is privacy, but not so much that the buzz of the place is lost on them. There are also longer dining tables for bigger groups of around 10 people off the main space that enjoy natural light from a metal-beamed glass ceiling. Soft lighting illuminates the rest, and different areas are separated by natural wood screens and foliage for a tranquil contrast to the more industrial interior elements.

The menu

Highballs are a true izakaya staple, and the set brunch gives you a choice of three of these tall cocktails to enjoy while you wait for your food. The Yuzu Gin-Gin is the most refreshing, and is made of Kiyoko craft yuzu infusion, East London gin (distilled locally on the edge of Victoria Park), fresh lemon and ginger beer all over several blocks of ice. For something more complex, try the Sakura Hai – a richer mix of Maison Briottet cerise liqueur, whiskey, blossom bitters, grenadine and soda.

There is a good choice of both meat and vegetarian sharing plates, and you will be glad to be sharing by the end, as the portions are good.

For something cold, a mix of three different sushi rolls arrive for the table, and then it is on to the hot dishes. Everything comes out in quick succession so get ready to earmark what is best eaten piping hot and share it out first.

The tofu gyoza arrives crispy and flavourful, having found the sweet spot of a good crunch, while some karaage fried chicken, another Japanese bar-food classic, also merits a notable mention. A plate of roasted sesame cauliflower is just as good as we remember, and really must be tried to understand the kitchen alchemy of how something so simple can steal the show. Continuing that mystery is the miso aubergine, which arrives chopped into sweet, almost caramelised tasting pieces that could easily pass as dessert.

For the official dessert though, you have a choice of three flavours of chilled mochi, a sweet round Japanese cake made with rice flour that is a traditional treat at Japanese New Year. The vanilla flavour is a light finish, while the passionfruit with mango is a great palate cleanser.

The bill

£35pp or upgrade to select bottomless highball cocktails for an extra £27.50pp for 90 minutes.

The verdict

Weekend brunch here is a social and lively affair – great for a group catch-up or to kick off birthday celebrations. Continue the vibe out into Shoreditch afterwards and see where the rest of the day takes you.

Brunch runs from 12pm-4pm on Saturdays; apothecaryeast.co.uk