itinerarycocktailsLondon

The Pandan Negroni Route: A Foodie Night Out in East London

UUnknown

2026-02-21

8 min read

A plug-and-play E2 evening: pandan negroni, Asian-inspired bars, shot lists, bartender notes and recreate-at-home recipes for viral content.

Hook: Short on time, chasing viral shots and crave late-night Asian flavours in E2? This plug-and-play route gets you the pandan negroni, the best neon frames, and photo-ready street eats — all in one shareable night.

East London’s E2 has become a canvas for Asian-inspired cocktails and late-night food that perform as well on your feed as they do on your palate. In 2026 the scene is more creator-driven than ever: bars are designing drinks with TikTok in mind, rice gins and pandan have gone mainstream, and late-night venues are doubling as content studios. This itinerary gives you a seamless evening plan, two recreate-at-home recipes, bartender insights, photo shot lists and quick booking tips so you can walk in and start creating.

The big picture: Why this route works in 2026

In the last 18 months creators and bars have formed a symbiotic loop — venues craft visually striking serves and menus to win short-form traction, and creators bring fast, high-quality exposure. The result: drinks that taste good AND photograph beautifully. This is especially true in E2’s Shoreditch corridor, where neon, tiled counters and late-night food culture collide.

What you get from this guide:

A timed 4-stop evening itinerary (start-to-finish)
Official pandan negroni recipe (Bun House Disco style) plus two variations
Bartender notes and interview highlights from Linus Leung and other local pros
Shot list & camera settings for viral cocktail photography
Booking, transport and safety checklist optimized for creators

Start here: Timeline for a content-optimized night out (E2 / Shoreditch)

Plan for ~4 hours: drinks + food + walk + late-night bite. This route is compact — minimal transfers, maximum visuals.

8:00 PM — Arrival & warm-up: Neon alley pre-shoot

Meet at a neon-lit alley near Shoreditch High Street (many bars in E2 have neon installations outside). Use these first 15–20 minutes to capture group shots, outfit flatlays and a few vertical clips for Reels or Shorts.

Why: Golden hour fades quickly in winter; neon holds colour and contrast on-camera.
Shot tips: 3-second slow pan, lip-sync audio for trending sounds, outfit-to-cocktail transition (jump cut).

8:30 PM — Bun House Disco (Signature stop)

This is the anchor of the night. Bun House Disco introduced the pandan negroni that’s been trending across platforms — a green-hued riff that pairs rice gin infused with pandan leaf, white vermouth and green chartreuse into a fragrant, photogenic serve.

On the drinks: The pandan negroni (Bun House Disco style)

Recipe (serves 1):

25 ml pandan-infused rice gin
15 ml white vermouth
15 ml green Chartreuse

How to make pandan-infused rice gin (quick method)

10 g fresh pandan leaf (green part only), roughly chopped
175 ml rice gin
Put chopped pandan and gin in a blender. Blitz 10–15s until the leaf is broken down; this releases oils quickly.
Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin into a clean bottle. Colour will be vibrant green; leave to settle 1–2 hours then re-strain if cloudy.

Mixing the drink

Measure/gin, vermouth and Chartreuse into a mixing tumbler.
Stir over ice for 20–30 seconds until properly chilled.
Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass over one large cube. Garnish with a tiny pandan ribbon or a flamed citrus peel for a glossy finish.

“Pandan is like jasmine’s cousin — it lifts the spirit and keeps things nostalgic,” says Linus Leung of Bun House Disco. “We lean into the scent as much as the look — when people pick up the glass they get the whole story.”

Source: Recipe and inspiration adapted from Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni (see Linus Leung’s version).

Photography & video tips at Bun House Disco

Shot idea: Macro swirl — shoot a slow 0–3s radial pan across the top of the drink to catch the Chartreuse-green separation.
Phone settings: Use a wider aperture (portrait mode) for shallow depth; drop ISO to 200–400 indoor and add a small LED panel if you need fill.
Composition: Low-angle, 45° to the glass with a neon background for opposing colour contrast.

9:15 PM — Short walk: Seek the tiled doorway

Look for the mosaic/tiled doorways common around Shoreditch — these are a visual staple for night shots. Use this stop for 2–3 outfit + cocktail swap photos.

9:30 PM — Late-night eats: Brick Lane and Beigel Bake

Brick Lane’s late-night scene is a must after drinks. The classic Beigel Bake (open late) is an authentic, gritty backdrop: salt-beef beigels, neon signs and queues create content contrast. If you prefer something more elevated, scout for pop-up hawker nights and neighbourhood izakayas; in 2026 pop-ups are frequently announced same-day on Instagram Stories.

10:15 PM — Dessert & atmosphere: Rooftop late-night bar or small basement izakaya

Round the night off with a small pour — a yuzu neat or a jasmine tea-based digestif works well — and capture a dim, moody portrait for feed aesthetics.

Two more Asian-inspired drinks to make at home

1) Yuzu & Tamarind Old Fashioned

50 ml aged bourbon or Japanese whisky
10 ml tamarind syrup (see method)
2 dashes Angostura
Zest of yuzu or lemon for garnish

Method: Muddle syrup and bitters in the glass, add whisky and large ice cube, stir and garnish. Tamarind syrup: equal parts tamarind paste and sugar, warm and strain.

2) Jasmine & Rice Gin Fizz (Low-ABV option)

40 ml rice gin
20 ml jasmine tea syrup (strong jasmine tea + sugar)
Soda to top, lemon twist

Method: Build in a tall glass over ice, top with soda and gently lift the citrus aroma with a twist.

Bartender conversations: What the makers say

Conversations with bartenders in 2025–2026 reveal three recurring themes: ingredient storytelling, seasonality, and content-first plating.

“We design drinks not just for flavour but for a moment,” says Linus Leung, the bartender behind Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni. “When a guest takes a photo, the scent and the visual should arrive together — that’s the memory we craft.”

Another local bar manager (who asked to remain unnamed) explained: “In 2026, our menu updates are micro-seasonal. We source herbs from UK growers and small rice gin distillers. It helps storytelling and reduces supply chain surprises.”

Where to capture the most shareable shots (shot list & timing)

Here’s a compact shot list you can use across the night. Each item includes the best time and suggested camera move.

Exterior neon portrait — 8:00–8:20 PM: vertical, 3–4s slow push-in, trend audio overlay.
Pandan negroni macro — 8:45–9:05 PM: 1–2s radial pan; shallow depth; highlight green tones.
Pour slow-mo — 8:50 PM: 120–240fps (smartphone), focus on viscous pour from Chartreuse.
Food queue candids — 9:30–9:50 PM: capture motion and steam; use 50–100 ISO if available.
Group cheers — 9:00 PM: high shutter (1/125) to freeze glasses, backlight for rim light.

Practical booking, transport & safety checklist

Book Bun House Disco in advance: Popular weekend slots fill. Reservations available via Bun House Disco’s website or DMs (many spots still manage small allocations via Instagram).
Public transport: Shoreditch High Street (Overground) and Liverpool Street (Central, Hammersmith & City) are your best bet. Night buses run but check TfL updates.
Charge & back-up: Bring power bank and a lens cloth — neon oil flares up fingerprints fast.
Respect the bar: Ask permission before a long video shoot; many bars will grant a quick 30–90s setup if you tip and buy a drink.

Creator-first strategies (2026 advanced tips)

These tactics reflect what’s working for creators and bars in 2026 — short-form dominance, collaboration, and micro-moments:

Pre-game content: Post a 15s “en-route” story that maps your follower expectations. Bars love this and may reshare.
Use native sounds wisely: Short trending audio on Reels/Shorts boosts discoverability faster than long cuts.
Collab with staff: Offer quick tag swaps with bartenders for mutual reach — they post from venue accounts and you gain credibility.
Layer alt captions: Include tasting notes and the recipe in the caption so users can recreate at home.

Accessibility & sustainability considerations

In 2026 venues increasingly advertise allergen info and low-carbon sourcing. When planning, look for venues listing ingredient provenance or low-waste practices — many bars now publish short sustainability statements on their socials or websites.

Troubleshooting common creator problems

Problem: Bar too dark for phone camera. Solution: Use portrait mode with an external LED ring, increase exposure slightly, and bracket for two-second bursts.

Problem: Drink loses colour when stirred. Solution: Photograph immediately after pouring; slow stirs preserve layered hues.

Quick printable checklist (one page)

Reservation confirmed at Bun House Disco
Battery + power bank charged
Small LED light + lens cloth
Shot list printed on phone notes
Cash for late-night street food

Final tips: Make it yours

This route is a template — swap stops based on your energy. If your group loves dancing, extend the night at a DJ-forward venue. If you’re focused on food, add a ramen or izakaya stop earlier. The essential formula: one signature cocktail, one photogenic bite, one neon visual and a final digestif or sweet finish.

Call to action

Ready to go? Book Bun House Disco, save this route, and try the pandan negroni at home before you go — it primes your palate and your feed. Share your best shot with #PandanNegroniRoute and tag @viral.vacations — the top weekly post gets a featured spot in our 2026 East London nightlife round-up. For a printable itinerary and downloadable shot list, subscribe to our creator toolkit below.

Unknown

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.