A wholly unscientific survey suggests that more than half the pubs in De Beauvoir Town and nearby London Fields now have ambitions and/or pretensions towards gastropub status; even the boozy Prince George, a holdout for years, has succumbed and installed a kitchen. Demand in the area doesn’t always meet supply, especially during the week. However, this cheery, capacious and altogether likeable corner pub was thriving on the Sunday lunchtime we visited.
The kitchen understands its limits: four starters and four mains constituted a reassuringly short menu, even if not everything excelled. The lively flavours in a spiced carrot soup outshone the rather thin texture, and a small starter of barbecue ribs was too dry for comfort. Still, a Sunday roast anchored by tender lamb shoulder was very decent, while a pumpkin and mixed cheese strudel was, as they say, a good bake. On Sundays, bloody marys made with peppery Bloodshot vodka join an otherwise straightforward drinks list.
The prices suggest that the management knows they’re in a crowded market: £3.10 for a pint of ale is as cheap as you’ll find outside a Wetherspoon’s.