The Hill Station at Broadway Market, Tooting
Our latest Curiosity of the Week is a tiny tavern in Tooting. Hill Station is a cosy bar, hidden away in Broadway Market.
The exterior of the bar is modelled on an authentic Himalayan hill station and mountain shack, with the interior resembling the type of hut that intrepid mountaineers might seek sanctuary in. Hill Station is a snug getaway from the hustle and bustle of the market.
The bar is based on the hill station in the Annapurna mountain range in Nepal, visited by the owners Alastair and Nicholas Heathcote. Inside the walls are adorned with reclaimed wood, beaten silver Indian tea trays are used as tables, and the bar is created from the front of an Indian truck. Memorabilia covering the walls includes original mountain equipment, some of which has been used to scale Everest, as well as photos and articles of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s accomplishments.
Drinks in the bar use the flavours of the Himalayas, with local spices, herbs and liquors. Themed cocktails include The Yak’s Milk (Yunnan tea, whiskey, lemon juice, spiced sugar syrup, Tamarind paste and egg white). Drinks are served in copper travelling mugs and teacups, whilst sharing cocktails are served in travelling flasks.
The interior of the tiny Tooting tavern
Continuing the bar’s quirky mountain theme, guests can call the mountain chef via a bakelite phone to order from the bar menu. Dishes include the Basecamp Burger, and the mountain cheese platter.
The Hill Station is open from Wednesday to Sunday, with the inside of the bar having a capacity of just 12 people. Cocktails are priced from £8, and happy hour is 6pm to 7pm. Find the bar at Unit 14, Broadway Market, 29 Tooting High Street, London SW17 0RJ.
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