The Folly, London

London is undoubtedly awash with some serious heavy hitters in the dining world, but sometimes you just need some comfort food. I love a fancy-pants restaurants as much as the next girl, but you can’t beat a night out with friends enjoying pub grub, non-wallet-busting beverages and a buzzing vibe. You can generally rely on a Drake & Morgan pub for all the above and with several dotted around town, they aren’t difficult to find.

The vibe
Located smack bang in the middle of Monument, The Folly ticks all those boxes. This popular bar/ restaurant has an upstairs dining room and a downstairs lounge bar with a dance floor. I’ve been a few times on various weekday evenings and it’s always packed. Its current wintry guise is home to fairy lights, blankets and reindeer hides strewn across the back of chairs, giving it a surprisingly cosy alpine vibe.

The food
The menu is what you’d expect - British pub-grub classics done well with a few different hits. The extensive menu has more than 50 items, from bangers and mash to burgers to a butternut squash risotto and cauliflower and pesto fettuccine, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Be warned though - the portions are generous, so be careful if your eyes are bigger than your stomach!

If you’re an olive fan, the olives are great; get a dish alongside your starters. For our starters we had the hot and crispy Szechuan pepper squid with lemon mayo and a rather delicious dish of heritage beetroot with whipped goat’s cheese and walnuts - always a winning combination and perfectly light, which was ideal given we opted for an indulgent main.

Their steak is decent value and arrived perfectly cooked, a simple yet juicy rib eye packed with flavor and accompanied by exceptionally tasty Parmesan, truffle and rosemary Roman fries; the holy trinity of seasoning, in my opinion.

Burger lovers will be in their element as there are a plethora of burger options on the menu and while we did get a spot of food envy from seeing the Wagyu burger with blue cheese and tomato chutney arrive at the table next to us, I can confirm that the buttermilk chicken was the bomb. Seriously crispy and with a decent kick from the chipotle mayonnaise, it went down a treat.

Given the hefty portions, we didn’t really have space for dessert, but we ordered one anyway. The mixed berry crumble was big enough to share and it had a gorgeously crunchy topping.​

The verdict
With all day breakfasts and Sunday roasts also available, The Folly isn’t short of dining options. If you favour a quiet evening out it’s probably not the place for you, but if you’re looking the perfect post work pit stop in The City with no-fuss food and drinks, then you’ll love it here.

The details
The Folly
41 Gracechurch St
London
EC3V 0BT

Laurel Waldron
*During my visit I was hosted by The Folly. All views and opinions are my own.

Our experience overall
Food and drink: ★★★★
Ambience: ★★★★
Staff attentiveness/friendliness: ★★★★

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