A back-passage boozer just off Hackney Road with a dishevelled aesthetic and live music leanings, the Sebright Arms has a faithful army of drinkers, mostly in their mid-twenties. The pub champions local craft beers – look for anything from Hackney Brewery, London Fields or Redchurch on rotation on tap – as well as showcasing fast food pop-ups. Indeed, a long-running residency from Lucky Chip put the tongue-in-cheek burger vendors firmly on the foodie map.
Live music is the Sebright’s biggest draw though, with gigs on almost every night in the louche basement. Sound-proofing may be a bit of an issue but it’s only good vibrations that set kitsch lampshades wobbling charmingly in the ground-floor bar. And despite their studiously cool appearance, fresh-faced staff in American Apparel gear seem to be having just as much fun as the gig-goers, which is just fine in our book.