London’s drinking culture has always been shaped by the personalities behind the bar—publicans and bartenders who gave their names to establishments that, in time, became institutions. Max and Noel Venning are part of that story, though their approach has never been about bravado. When they opened Three Sheets in Dalston back in 2016, it quickly established itself as the kind of neighbourhood bar people would travel across the city for, its short, confident menu offering cocktails of clarity and balance. Soho, with its mix of grit and glamour, was a natural next step. Their new outpost on Manette Street channels the spirit of the district’s past without falling into caricature: there’s wit in the food menu, where lobster rolls sit beside croquettes with brown sauce, and grace in the drinks, which glide between classics and modern masterpieces. The space itself shifts with the day, working just as well for an afternoon aperitif as for a late-night martini. It’s an approach that defines the brothers’ work: bars that respond to their setting while raising the standard.
We sat down with the duo to discuss their journey, philosophy, and the future they’re building, one pour at a time…
You opened the first Three Sheets in Dalston in 2016 to much acclaim. What was the original vision for the bar, and how has that evolved over time?
We opened Three Sheets to be a neighbourhood bar offering high-level cocktails, something unfussy, where you could get forward-thinking, delicious drinks. We also wanted to put forward a minimal offering that was accessible; this led the design throughout the business, from interiors to menu design to the presentation of the drinks. At the time, there weren’t too many places doing what we do. That has changed with the growth of the cocktail industry; we have adapted our flavour profile with changing tastes in our guests, but generally we have stuck to our principles.
Your drinks are often described as clean, elegant, and deceptively simple. How do you define the Three Sheets cocktail style in your own words?
I think the above sums it up well. We enjoy drinking light, subtle drinks; we don’t want to challenge the guest, and we want people to feel comfortable. We’ll always make sure there is an ingredient a guest is familiar with, and any more esoteric ingredients we use lightly to enhance the flavour of the drink, rather than masking it.
What drew you both to hospitality in the first place—and what keeps you inspired?
It’s a people industry, and it’s a lot of fun. I think that’s why we started in pubs and continued through. Then it gets under your skin, and you get the buzz for hosting people and making sure your guests are having a good time.
With Three Sheets Soho and the expanded Dalston site now up and running, how do you maintain a sense of continuity between the venues while giving each its own identity?
When you’re opening any venue, the most important thing is to respond to the neighbourhood. We knew we couldn’t open a like-for-like of Dalston in Soho when the demographic overlaps, but is broader, so we had to make it a little more accessible and have a wider offering. We also have a lot more space, so we have the luxury of a bigger wine list, and we were really excited to have a food offering. We want the fingerprint of the bar to be the same, so we use similar interior design and colours, a few key features, but then allow the venues to develop their own personality.
Your weekly changing cocktail menu is incredibly ambitious. Could you walk us through how a new drink goes from idea to glass?
We don’t change the full menu just a drink at a time and we don’t ever want to force the creative process, so we have 6 monthly development meetings where the whole team bring ideas, from here we put this into a development plan for roughly when we’ll launch the drinks, and then we develop slowly to make sure the drinks are fully finished before we put them on the menu.
How important is seasonality to your drinks programme—and how do you stay ahead of trends without chasing them?
Seasonality is important, but we often freeze and ferment fresh ingredients as part of our process, so we can lengthen the availability. We find that if you freeze fruit and then defrost it to ferment, we get an exceptional amount of flavour out; the fruit naturally breaks down quickly. I think we have been seen as a bar that is at the forefront of trends, but it’s not something that we focus on; we work with ingredients and make drinks that excite us, rather than keeping track of what is hype.
Could you share the story behind a cocktail that surprised you in its development or reception?
There are always lots of surprises, some good and some bad. At a previous company I worked at, we powdered and then distilled oyster shells into vodka. The whole lab smelt of burnt hair, but we tried it anyway and all ended up vomiting for the rest of the day.
You’ve worked with some top UK bars and consulted for restaurants like Ikoyi and Dinner by Heston. What have been some standout collaborations, and what do you look for in a partner?
We’re really lucky for some of the collaborations we’ve done. I think what we look for is people who take what they do seriously, but don’t take themselves too seriously. It’s important to have a good and fun working relationship. Whether they are a high-volume experiential venue or a small restaurant, they need to care about their business.
How do you approach team culture and staff training in such creatively driven environments?
We aim to create a professional working environment where people’s roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and transparency is maintained throughout the business. We really believe this is the only way you can operate. Within this structure, we allow development time and create meeting time to discuss everyone’s ideas on an equal platform.
You’re currently scouting for a third Three Sheets location and hinting at international
expansion. What’s the dream city to open next—and why?
We will look to open a few more bars over the coming years. We’re reticent on mentioning where, as things often change, the next one should be in the UK, and then after that, who knows? The top of our list internationally is Paris, Mexico City and, of course, New York. We would be looking for international partners in these places.
How do you balance running successful venues with the demands of consultancy and product development?
We have been doing this for a while now, and we have a good system in place. We just opened our prep and development space behind our coffee shop, Dead Good, next to the Dalston bar. This will allow us to grow in this space.
What do you hope guests remember most about a night at Three Sheets?
That they had fun.
Quickfire Round
The cocktail you’re most proud of?
French 75.
Underrated ingredient you can’t get enough of?
Tea in all its forms.
Favourite late-night bite in London?
Lamb kofte wrap from Umut 2000.
Most unexpected source of inspiration for a drink?
A Burmese tea leaf salad, lahpet thoke, led to the Almond Flower Sour.
Advice you’d give to someone opening their first bar?
Work hard, and be nice people. And pay for a good accountant.
To find out more about Three Sheets and book, visit the links below…
THREE SHEETS
SOHO
13 Manette St
London W1D 4AP
United Kingdom
Tel: 07933 182 812
DALSTON
510b Kingsland Rd
London E8 4AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 07718 648 771
Web: threesheets-bar.com
Email: info@threesheets-bar.com
Instagram: @threesheetsbars
All images © Rebecca Dickson