In Hackney’s Morning Lane, You Call the Shots will offer ‘high-end drinking food’ alongside quality cocktails and wines.
Featuring the likes of prawn guanciale; mini devilled crab donut; cheeseburger dog with aged beef and Ogleshield sausage, crispy shallots and shot’s relish; and cherry and Courvoisier canolo the menu is initially being overseen by former Hawksmoor and Crocadon chef Joe Couldridge, who was recently promoted to executive chef.
But the intention is for You Call the Shots (YCTS) to eventually become a place where established and up-and-coming chefs can ‘experiment and create food they’d like to eat when they’re out, their version of drinking food’.
The wine list has been put together by sommelier Isobel McFadden.
The venue’s name references this idea, with each chef encouraged to ‘call the shots’ but the venue is also inspired by the lyrics in John Cooper Clarke’s I Wanna Be Yours, which plays on loop in the toilets.
The site seats 38 with space for 60 standing and an upstairs private dining room for up to 12 people.
“What I am looking forward most to with YCTS is a fresh set of objectives, for the past five years we have focused so heavily on pubs and loved every second, but it’s so exciting to be building something new for us,” says co-founder Emma Piggott.
“The space is incredible and lends itself so well to the atmosphere we are creating. The tradition of pubs is beautiful and will always have a huge place in my heart, but taking on a more modern project has really allowed us to experiment with the offering.”
Fellow co-founder Jonathan Mercer added: “That’s the essence of You Call the Shots—it’s all up to you. We’ve designed an dual floor space that can accommodate up to 38 guests sitting, or 60 all in all until 2am! It’s a showcase of what we think we do best; just a fucking good time alongside our nearest and dearest.”
Piggott and Mercer launched The Plough in 2019 before following up with The Prince Arthur in 2020.