Shoreditch boozer is the king of cool

Heroes can be honoured in myriad ways, from erecting bronze statues of them, to applying their name to a beef dish so rich, anyone who dines on it won't be able to afford enough bronze for their own statue. Honouring his hero with a place that serves the stuff that makes us all heroes, the man behind McQueen.

Helmed by a lifelong admirer, McQueen boasts three rooms dedicated to Hollywoods' first modern action hero, two loving on him in spirit (the retro-feel, oak-floored lounge with silver fittings and brown leather-studded Chesterfield sofas; the dj-boothed club with life-size pics of negligibly clad ladies), while the diner's more direct: pics of the man himself adorning the walls, alongside a giant propeller, literally giving props to McQueen's late-life pilot training. Actor-venerating drinks include the Thomas Crown (agricole rhum, coffee & hazelnut liqueur, espresso, egg white, maple syrup), the Papillon (velvet falernum/rhubarb bitters/prosecco), and the Campari & mandarin liqueur, lemon & egg white Getaway Sour -- named for the classic that saw McQueen steal half a million dollars/Robert Evans' testicles. The hungry can feast on fare ranging from the organic beef, smoked black forest bacon, Monterrey jack, and marinaded beef tomato "McQueen Burger" to The Great Escape: sun-dried cranberry salsa-doused creole-spiced hot wings, which every Tom, Dick, and Harry will try to steal off your plate.

The venue also brings a strong performance element, with a lineup of live bands and DJs, plus hooks above the bar meant to support aerial acrobats from troupes like Le Clique and Cirque du Soleil -- whose female performers you'll attempt to honour with your beef dish, making them wish they had a Bullitt.