Síoraí Bar (Closed Permanently) Formerly: Zodiac

Hope for the gay scene in the era of COVID arrived in early April 2021 on a busy stretch of road halfway between Tufnell Park and Archway tube stations in Islington. Síoraí (Gaelic for forever/eternal, pronounced 'Sure-ray') is a three-in-one special – bar, restaurant and entertainment venue – and features not only an indoor bar (with booths) and a clubby basement, but also a very pleasant, taverna-like garden area (seating for 50-plus), overseen by Fredi and Edward. The all-day food menu is Greek, and the basement will host themed nights, DJs and the occasional cabaret and drag, with a nod to the sadly departed Black Cap in nearby Camden Town. Appropriately enough, Black Cap drag doyen Regina Fong hangs on the wall in a gallery of camp icons who range from Judy to Cher, Madonna to Gaga, Edna to Ariana, Shirley to Freddie, plus former locals George Michael and Amy Winehouse, both of whom lived a mile and a half away. Already popular with a cross-section of drink-happy goers. For the record, the bar initially opened, albeit briefly, in the autumn of 2020 (replacing the short-lived gay bar Zodiac and, before that, a northern-soul-themed venue). Sadly the bar closed spring 2024.