Distillery to open in London’s Spitalfields Market
East London restaurant Alfi has launched a crowdfunding campaign to open a distillery inside the city’s historic Spitalfields Market by the end of 2026.
Said to be rooted in transparency, quality, and fair value, the distillery is being curated to challenge the rising cost of premium spirits while supporting a more sustainable hospitality model.
Founded by the team behind Alfi, a 280-capacity restaurant and bar located within the market, Spitalfields Distillery will produce spirits in-house, simultaneously supplying the restaurant’s multiple spaces throughout the market directly while reducing its reliance on long supply chains.
The Alfi team explained that the distillery project is ‘a natural extension of the business’, allowing it to bring ‘greater transparency and quality control’ to the drinks it serves.
By distilling on-site, the venue said it will also aim to keep prices accessible without compromising on provenance or craft.
“Our goal is simple,” said the Alfi founding team. “To make great spirits locally, being open about how they’re made, where the ingredients come from, and how sustainability is built into every step.”
Spitalfields Distillery will draw inspiration from the market’s 350-year history as a place of makers, traders and independent businesses.
Production will take place in a visible distilling space within Alfi, allowing guests to see the process as part of the venue experience.
While the specifications for the stills are currently being finalised, Alfi plans to install a small-scale copper pot still system suitable for craft production, allowing it to produce limited batches while maintaining a visible and educational production process for guests.
The distillery will launch with a core range of spirits, including vodka, gin and rum, which will be used in the site’s venues and for wider retail and hospitality distribution.
The team hopes to eventually add flavoured expressions to its portfolio.
Each bottle will be designed to reflect the heritage of Spitalfields, featuring artwork inspired by the market itself and a visual identity that ‘blends tradition with modern East London culture’.
Spitalfields Distillery has launched an investment round via Crowdcube, inviting the community to be part of the journey from the outset.
The Crowdcube campaign is now live and aims to raise approximately £350,000 (US$466,746) to fund the build of the distillery and initial production setup.
The campaign is scheduled to close on 30 March.
Subject to the completion of the raise, construction of the distillery is planned to begin shortly afterwards. Production will commence by the end of 2026, once the equipment has been installed and commissioned.
The crowdfunding page can be found here: www.crowdcube.com/companies/
Further information is available via the distillery’s website: www.alfi.ltd/spitalfields-distillery.
In February, Loch Lomond Brewery launched a Crowdcube campaign to boost its distilling and brewing capacity and lay down more whisky casks for the future.
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