Aldgate Tap is a cafe and bar in the Portsoken Pavilion on Aldgate Square in the City of London. On Saturday nights and all day Sunday it is open to private hire for groups of 20 to 200, for parties, photo shoots and film sets. The postal address is 1 Aldgate, London EC3N 1AF.
Seminars and company events
The official site does not describe seminars or meetings, and it names private parties as the main use. A company can still consider it for an informal team evening, a leaving party or a networking drinks reception. The group size starts at 20, which suits a department or a small client evening, and goes up to 200 for a larger standing party. Because the venue is closed to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, hired weekend time belongs to one group only. There is no presentation equipment listed, so a company that needs screens or a microphone should ask in its first message.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are not mentioned on the site. The offer is a private party format, with a bar, music and food, so an evening reception after a ceremony elsewhere or a milestone birthday is the closest match. The team handles the event personally: the page asks organizers to get in touch with John to discuss plans for an upcoming party, a photo shoot or a set location.
Rooms and capacities
The venue is a single pavilion space rather than a set of rooms, and the site gives one range.
- Private hire: groups from 20 to 200 people.
The site does not say how that range divides between seated and standing, so ask for the layout that matches your format.
Catering
The private hire offer lists several services in the same place. Bespoke food and drink packages are available, the bar is fully stocked, and catering and event planning options can be arranged. A DJ is offered, and the venue also lists film shoots as a use. Day to day, the venue serves coffee, beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks, and Ray's Pizza runs lunch and evening snacks, which gives a sense of the style of food on offer.
History and setting
The Aldgate Tap occupies the Portsoken Pavilion, a building the site calls striking. It sits on Aldgate Square, a public square on the eastern edge of the City, close to Tower Hill and Whitechapel.
Getting there
The address is Aldgate Square, 1 Aldgate, London EC3N 1AF. Aldgate station, on the Circle and Metropolitan lines, is beside the square, and Aldgate East and Tower Gateway are a short walk away. Contact the team at info@aldgatetap.com or on 020 3137 6437. The venue is open to the public Monday to Friday and closed Saturday and Sunday, which is when private hire is offered.
