Tucked away in Dalston, Parasol feels like stepping into old New York after dark. Moody, a little smoky, and effortlessly cool in that way you can’t really fake. The lighting is low and flattering, the kind that makes everything and everyone look better. It’s intimate without feeling cramped, dark without ever closing in on you.

You settle in quickly here. It doesn’t demand attention, it just holds it.

The cocktails are where it really comes alive. Proper drinks, not just pretty ones. Everything feels considered, balanced, and made with intention.

I had the El Diablo Guapo first. Mezcal, palo santo, blackberry, ginger beer. Smoky, slightly spicy, with that deep warmth you get from mezcal, but lifted with a sharpness from the ginger and a soft sweetness from the blackberry. It felt layered, but easy. The kind of drink you keep going back to without overthinking.

Then the Umbrella Vesper. Vodka, gin, kina, mineral notes. Clean, sharp, and precise. It leans classic but there’s something softer running through it that makes it feel more modern, more drinkable. It is the kind of cocktail that quietly reminds you how good simple can be when it’s done properly.

Pete completely made the experience. Not just mixing drinks, but actually taking the time to understand what we liked. Asking about flavour preferences, what we usually go for, what kind of mood we were in. Then building around that. It felt personal, not transactional.

And he knows his craft. He talks you through the ingredients, the combinations, the thinking behind each drink in a way that feels effortless. No ego, just confidence and real knowledge. That kind of presence changes everything.

There is a subtle smokiness that runs through the space and the drinks, which adds to that late night downtown feel. Exposed textures, soft shadows, glowing bottles behind the bar. The music leans into a cool disco energy, but it is elevated. Curated, not chaotic.

Parasol is not just somewhere you go for a cocktail. It is somewhere you settle into. Somewhere you sip slowly, stay longer than you planned, and let the night unfold around you.

Dalston done properly.