FlipDog: Where Fire Meets Form in London’s New Cocktail Language

In a city where new openings are constant, and attention is fleeting, it takes something more than aesthetic polish or a well-curated drinks list to truly stand out. London’s cocktail scene is mature, discerning and increasingly driven by concept as much as craft. Against this backdrop, the arrival of FlipDog in Shoreditch feels less like an opening and more like a statement.

On the evening of 11 March 2026, I made my way to Shoreditch for the bar’s debut. The address, tucked within Imperial Hall near Old Street, does not immediately reveal itself. I walked past it once, then twice, before realising that this slight disorientation is part of the experience. FlipDog does not present itself too easily. It invites discovery.

A Technique Rooted in History

At the centre of FlipDog’s identity is a method that feels both archaic and radical. Cocktails here are not simply mixed. They are transformed through fire.Yes, you read it right: fire. The bar’s signature technique, known as the loggerhead or flipdog (thus the bar name), involves plunging a red-hot iron poker, heated to approximately 1200 degrees Celsius, into a drink. The effect is immediate and sensory. Sugars caramelise, aromas intensify, and textures shift in ways that conventional mixing cannot achieve.

This is not a contemporary invention. The method traces back to the eighteenth century inns in America, where heated iron rods were used to prepare a drink known as “flip”, a rich combination of beer, rum, molasses and cream. At FlipDog, this historical practice is reinterpreted with precision and restraint, becoming part of a broader exploration of how technique can shape flavour.

A Space in Dialogue with Itself

The physical space reflects this duality between past and present. Designed by Kyiv-based YOD Group, FlipDog unfolds across two distinct levels, each with its own rhythm. The ground floor, an intimate twenty-seat area, feels transient and experimental. Inspired by the logic of pop-up installations, it is designed to evolve, to shift and to respond to collaborations. There is a sense that nothing here is entirely fixed.

Descending to the lower level, the atmosphere changes. The eighty-seat space below is quieter, more composed. Here, the focus moves towards technique, precision and a more deliberate pace of service. The transition between the two spaces mirrors the philosophy of the bar itself. Energy above, refinement below.

The People Behind the Vision

FlipDog is the creation of Artem Skapenko, whose work in Kyiv has already drawn international attention, and Alex Kostenyuk. Igor Brovko, formerly of Tayēr + Elementary, completes the team. Together, they bring a perspective shaped by both Eastern European hospitality and London’s evolving cocktail culture.

Their approach is described as method-driven, a phrase that could easily feel abstract, but here is grounded in practice. The technique is not used for spectacle alone. It is the starting point from which flavour is developed. As they explained during the opening, the intention is to challenge conventions while remaining approachable. It is a delicate balance. Innovation often risks becoming inaccessible, yet FlipDog manages to retain a sense of openness that invites rather than intimidates.

A Menu Built on Process

The cocktail programme is structured with clarity. The Flip10 menu presents ten drinks, each centred around a specific technique. These are not variations on familiar recipes but explorations of process.

In Morning at the Platform, the heated loggerhead deepens roasted and caffeinated notes, creating a drink that feels both comforting and unexpectedly layered. Foggy Morning takes a different approach, using a chilled poker to introduce contrast and subtlety. Walking the Hyde Park mixes champagne with Aker and Oakmoss.  Alongside this, a second menu offers reinterpretations of classic cocktails, where familiar structures are reshaped through contemporary techniques and unexpected combinations.

Food as Counterpoint

The presence of food at FlipDog is not an afterthought. Under the direction of Chef Anton Vasyliev, the menu reflects a dialogue between Eastern European and Asian influences, designed to complement the complexity of the drinks.

Dishes such as a Chicken Katsu Sandwich, Thai-style beef tartare and a Niçoise-inspired octopus skewer encourage sharing, while desserts like matcha trifle and lemon and yuzu posset introduce a softer, reflective finish to the experience. Gluten-free options are thoughtfully integrated (try the Popcorn Chicken), reinforcing the sense of inclusivity that runs throughout the concept.

Fire, Craft and Contemporary Hospitality

What makes FlipDog compelling is not only the novelty of its technique but the coherence of its vision. Fire, in this context, is not theatrical excess. It is a tool that connects past and present, tradition and experimentation. There is also a deeper narrative at play. Founded by a Ukrainian team and brought to life in London, the bar carries with it a sense of cultural exchange. It reflects an increasingly global hospitality landscape, where ideas move across borders and are reshaped by new contexts.

London has long been a city that absorbs and reinterprets influences from elsewhere. FlipDog feels like a natural extension of that identity. It introduces something unfamiliar, yet grounds it in craft and intention. As I left Shoreditch that evening, the impression that remained was not simply of a new bar opening, but of a new language being explored. One where technique leads, but does not dominate. Where flavour is shaped by process, and where experience is built through layers of thought and detail.

In a city that rarely pauses, FlipDog offers a moment of attention. A reminder that even within a familiar landscape, there is always space for reinvention.

Photo source: FlipDog