Eat it, drink it, wear it
Finding the coolest spots to sample craft beers, cocktails, or slurp-worthy ramen is a real pleasure, and something most of us want to show off to our friends and social media followers. With great new food and drink places opening up across London every day, you’ll find plenty to satisfy both your tastebuds and your Instagram feed.
Now you can show off your good taste by wearing it too, as lots of London’s food traders are getting into the merch game. Here are some of our favourite examples of restaurant merch you’ll want to wear…and share.
Beavertown Brewery
Every weekend, huge crowds of people make the long trek up the Victoria line just to sample the contents of the cartoon-covered beer cans at this Tottenham brewery. Beavertown’s smiling skull logo – not dissimilar to that of the now defunct Swedish clothing brand Cheap Monday – adorns its range of hoodies and t-shirts, as well as this more luxury collab with M.C. Overalls. beavertownbrewery.co.uk
Monty’s Deli
The hefty reuben sandwiches at this Hoxton deli have become something of a legend. Soft rye bread is packed with layers of home-cured salt beef, and lashings of salty-sweet sauerkraut to create one of the best New York-style sandwiches this side of the Atlantic. Naturally, it has a merch range. Display your love for the East London pickle palace with one of its t-shirts or hats. montys-deli.com
Luminary Bakery
This social enterprise in Stoke Newington supports women at risk of homelessness, violence and crime by offering them training and employment in its cake shop and cafe. It also makes some of the most elegant celebration cakes in London, all adorned with its crescent moon logo, and available in lots of vegan and gluten-free options too. Sales from the bakery’s t-shirt help fund work programs for women in Kolkata. luminarybakery.com
Bao
You might never have beaten the queue for this Taiwanese steamed bun restaurant, but you can at least buy into the hype with its cute tote bags, t-shirts and posters. baolondon.com
Want more merch and marketing inspiration? Check out our posts on the London gyms creating killer clothing brands, tips on how to promote a yoga studio and tips from a pro-climber on how to grow your personal training business
Voodoo Rays
A late night slice isn’t easy to come by in this city. Thanks then to Voodoo Rays for providing cheese-loaded deliciousness so close to our favourite drinking spots in Dalston, Shoreditch and Peckham into the late hours. Grab a paper plate, and one of its “Giant F*ckin Pizza” t-shirts while you’re at it. voodoorays.com
Climpson & Sons
The coffees and pastries from this compact vintage-fronted store on Broadway Market are divine. Since 2002, the company has been sourcing and roasting its own beans, and it now supplies to some of the best cafes across the city. Coffee, mugs and clothing are available from its website. https://climpsonandsons.com/
Temple of Seitan
Show your respect to the gods of vegan goodness with this range of merch from plant-based fast food producers Temple of Seitan. With the slogans “nothing natural” and “hail seitan” emblazoned on its t-shirts, the business shows vegans can play just as dirty as meat eaters. templeofseitan.co.uk
St. John
This meaty restaurant is not for the faint-hearted — indeed, you might just find a heart on the menu. As pioneers of the “nose-to-tail” style of dining, this Islington establishment has won fans worldwide, and now you can join the (supper) club by buying one of its t-shirts or totes. It even did a collab with Comme de Garcons for this year’s Paris Fashion Week – just another example of the booming workwear trend. stjohnrestaurant.com
Noble Rot
This “Franglaise” restaurant and wine bar on Conduit Street does plonk with attitude. Its in-house magazine features food interviews with celebs including Keira Knightley and Benedict Cumberbatch, and its “Sex, Drugs & Pinot Noir” tote bag will help you carry your bottles home with bad-ass swag. noblerot.co.uk
Grind
There’s been a bit of a backlash against so-called “Millenial pink” since it started flooding our Instagram feeds, but you can’t deny that the colour is pretty. Shoreditch caffeine house Grind is keeping the love alive with its pink coffee tins and to-go mugs. grind.co.uk
Want to print merch for your bar, cafe or restaurant? At ICON Printing we offer fast turnaround printing with a wide-ranging catalogue from t-shirts to caps to bags. Get a quote in 2 minutes online.