Wednesday 13 June 2007

Pub Update!!

As everyone should know by now, ONE of my "hobbies" is visiting the more "traditional" or historic pubs available here.

I have been in London just over a little over a year now so for those of you doing the math, that's 54 weeks and 77 pubs.

As always click on the link to your right (just above that lonely bench link -shameless plug-) to get the comprehensive list. Coming soon... Ray's top five pubs.

54. Penny Black: Non-traditional pub, but still good for a lunch boozer in Leatherhead. Nice large outside beer garden though.
55. Prince of Wales (Highgate): Traditional village pub with cool little benched booths and small rooms. Cozy atmosphere, but as with some others no pub grub, just a Thai menu.
56. The Flask: A Highgate classic, although extremely popular with the young and beautiful crowd on a nice weekend afternoon. Said to be over 300 years old, it is one of those low-ceiling, interconnecting rooms type pubs. We actually sat behind the original bar. Old pub with a fancy beer garden attached.
57. Prince of Wales (Victoria): Tiny traditional below our flat, but has been way too smoky until now. Great friendly place to sit outside on the sidewalk picnic tables to people watch.
58. The Phoenix: Newer gastro-pub with a cozy back garden area that we stumbled across by accident coming out the back of Cardinal Place.
59. The Dog and Duck: Small Victorian pub in Soho with some quirky stairs down to the Gent’s toilet and some excellent original tilework on the walls. Have actually been back two more times as it makes for a good spot to people watch.
60. The Queen’s Head: Just off Piccadilly Circus. Part of my Werewolves of London crawl. Just an “ok” place, as refurbishment seems to have cost it the original feel.
61. The Running Horse: In Leatherhead near the River Mole. One of those cool “village” type pubs with low beamed ceilings that I kept hitting my head against.
62. The Clarence: Touristy place near Parliament. Not a bad place, per se, just not the traditional type I prefer.
63. Angel and Crown: One of those “Hey… there’s a pub we haven’t been into, let’s try it” type visits. Another in a long line of rebuilt clean interiors. Only had a ½ pint as to not stay too long.
64. Cross Keys: On the edge of Covent Garden, off the beaten path. VERY dark and almost a dingy feel, but that was part of the charm of this traditional. Actually… not a bad place. The walls are absolutely covered in old pictures and nick-knacks.
65. Blue Posts: In an alley off of Piccadilly. Tiny place that was PACKED on a Sunday afternoon as a 6 piece swing band was playing and actually taking up ¼ of the pub. Nice fun, “local” place.
66. The Plough: Another local “village” type pub in Leatherhead. Eh…no big deal.
67: Ivy House: Local neighborhood pub near Nunhead/Peckham Rye. Quite cozy actually, but the back dining room area with its curtained stage was pretty cool.
68. Clockhouse: Peckham Rye area gastro-pub. While a decent enough place to have a pint it is by NO means a traditional pub.
69. Page 2: Another Nunhead/Peckham area pub. Jumped in to get out of the rain (my other choice was a church). Skankiest beer EVER! The ale was actually warm… WARM!! Like it was sitting next to the boiler. Shame, because the place itself had a certain local charm to it.
70. The Wellington: HUGE pub on the edge of Covent Garden. Spruced up interior, but still some of that old time feel. Decent enough place to visit before or after the theatre.
71. The Cider Press: (Torquay pub) “Perhaps” an old school pub as it had interior stone walls and fireplaces, but the beams (for whatever reason) seemed fake. Still seemed to be a fun place though.
72. The Seven Stars: (Dartmouth pub) The oldest pub in Dartmouth built in 1780. Pew-like bench seating and a low beamed (hit my head twice) ceiling. Lots of character and characters. If this was in London it would be one of those I would take visitors to see.
73. The Royal Dart: (Kingsware pub) The building has been there since the late 1700’s but the pub located there now reflects NONE of that tradition.
74. The Black Friar: Holy Crap!! Built originally in 1875 the interior of this pub was magnificent. Marbled walls, arched entrances to a back room, and cool little nooks with benches. Very different. In a good way.
75. The Punch Tavern: OK… take an older pub with carved jester styled heads detailing the original skylight and bar, throw in etched mirrored walls, but then throw in a bright, cheery, let me wait on you at your table atmosphere (which says anything BUT “pub”) and there you have this confused place. Nice enough, but still.
76. The Star Tavern:A very quaint traditional pub tucked away in the residential mews of Belgravia. Interesting stained glass “star” windows. Very low key place for a Saturday afternoon pint.
77. The Antelope:Another authentic Belgravia pub that seems to reflect the neighborhood it is located in. Genteel or quaint describes these well. I’d frequent these more if I weren’t afraid of getting lost in the maze of mews. Both places also served ESB ale which for me… is a bonus.