Some eyebrows were raised when Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram took over Hackney’s Marksman boozer in 2015. Would this beloved neighbourhood boozer lose its character? Would the lived-in décor and secret-soaked bar torn out and replaced with something far glossier, more clinical? Where would all the drinkers go? Such fears were unfounded, as they pulled off the delicate balancing act of introducing world-class grub while maintaining the place’s status and appearance as a proper drinking den. The Marksman is now an institution, offering restaurant-style service with pub-style levels of chill. Basically, it’s your cosy local (albeit with an unusually sprawling wine list), which also happens to do a kedgeree that would make a stiff old army officer weep. They’ve really hit the bullseye.
Eat this
The Marksman’s beef and barley bun, a fluffy ball of dough that oozes with ultra-rich beef once you sink your teeth into it, is legendary for a reason.
Drink this
Technically, you could explore that extensive wine list and/or the carefully selected beers by night and shake 'em off with a Bloody Mary the following lunchtime. Just sayin’.
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