Inside Whitechapel, a Gin Lover's Steampunk Fantasyland in the Tenderloin

Whitechapel, now open in the Tenderloin, is definitely a shrine to gin. With over 400 types of the spirit on the menu and 120 cocktails that include it, the steampunky bar will certainly be a calling card for all gin lovers. Owners Martin Cate (Smuggler’s Cove) and John Park (Novela) created what they’re calling a “heavily-themed Victorian-era distillery in an abandoned London Underground station” decor that plays out in distressed subway tiles lining the walls, menus that look like transit schedules and a domed ceiling reminiscent of a train station. Beverage director Alex Smith (Novela, Gitane) created many martinis, gin and tonics, popular classic gin drinks, original cocktails, gin flights, gin punches, drinks on tap and so much more. The Anglo-Dutch-Bangladeshi mash-up food menu from chef David Murphy (Austin's Uchi) may sound “like a hipster parody, but it’s actually rooted in the notion that the Dutch and British are our two most prominent gin countries, and their food reflects the spice trade that informed the creation of gin," Cate explained. The result is dishes like welsh rarebit with a beetroot chutney and fish and chips with curry sauce. You can see both the food and drink menus in full here. Take a look around the space above, now open to all gin geeks.