Peckham neighbourhood bar Funkidory has announced the launch of a second site, set to open in Camberwell at the beginning of next year.
The as-yet-unnamed site will be co-founders Anna Fairhead-Benitez and Sergio Leanza's biggest venue to date, continuing Funkidory's relaxed hopsitality and a new menu created by Leanza and the team.
“The new site is going to be a New York-style basement, a relaxed vibe, somewhere you can kick back and know you’re in good hands,” said Leanza, speaking to Class. “No hooks or gimmicks, just quality drinks and good people.”
The larger Camberwell site will allow space for the Funkidory team to host DJs and intimate live gigs in the style of Funkidory’s monthly Sunday Tipple Sessions, where the bar hosts up-and-coming musicians from around the UK.
“Our Camberwell site will be an extension of Funkidory and on a bigger scale,” said Fairhead-Benitez. “Having been a part of this industry for a long while and knowing what we like, our drive has always been simply to create a space where we ourselves would love to hang out and drink.
“So, it’s very much an expression of us, our passions, our music, our style. Now that we’re growing and the team is expanding, there are new influences and expressions coming from them and that’s cool. We’re excited by the team we have lined up and are looking forward to collaborating with some new talent.”
At the new venue, the Funkidory team will have access to a full lab space, giving the bar team the oppurtunity to expand their creativity and elevate the cocktail offering, which will be designed to be complex in flavour but simple in presentation.
“We weren’t looking but the site was brought to our attention, and it was too good to ignore,” said Fairhead-Benitez. “Coming from Peckham, Camberwell is just up the road and it’s buzzing. There are so many great spots to eat, and we are excited to be in amongst all of that and to continue repping for the South London scene.”
Leanza added: “‘Opening a second site has always been the ambition we’ve hoped to achieve so we are excited about this next chapter. We hope that we are to make our mark on the area with our identity as a cocktail bar. Think Funkidory, the same warmth, same quality yet in a bigger space.”
The new bar from the Funkidory team will be located beneath the newly reopened Forza Win at the Church Street Hotel in Camberwell, it is set to open in early 2023.