If ye olde English pubs are your thing, then the Punchbowl will be right up your street. Brimming with quirky touches that add to its charm, this 350-year-old Georgian pub in the heart of Mayfair is the second oldest in Britain. Tucked away down a quiet street, the pub shot to fame during its ownership by director Guy Ritchie. Ritchie hung up his pub landlord shoes six years ago, which means you’re much less likely to see celebrities tucking into a roast here these days, but it’s still plenty buzzing with punters who come all days of the week to scoff the hearty lunch and dinner options. The Vibe The pub is split over three floors with the main floor consisting of a large bar area with cosy tables and booths tucked into every nook and cranny. The long wooden bar with it stools neatly lined up in a row takes centre place and is the perfect place to sip a pint or two of real local ale. On the second floor, there is a contemporary dining room that feels distinctly modern compared to the ground floor restaurant thanks to its neutral colour palette and more refined furnishings, making it a great place to take a date for a romantic meal. Our favourite area, however, is the private dining room on the third floor. Bursting with funky décor, this area has a much moodier and more playful feel to it than the other floors of the pub – think playing cards wall paper, an oversized chandelier, quirky paintings, Chesterfield sofas to sink into with a Negroni and an assortment of bric-a-brac scattered throughout the two adjoining rooms, which make it the perfect place for enjoying a wicked cocktail party! The food Traditional pub fare is what they do best here. From Sunday roasts to fish and chips, burgers or Cumberland sausages and mash, they’ve got all of the classics covered. We were ‘feeling fish’ the day we visited, so for starters, my husband selected the crab fish cakes (which he rated a solid 8/10) and I had the leek and potato soup (a classic that you really can’t go wrong with). Mains continued the fish theme. I opted for the traditional fish and chips (a massive piece of perfectly cooked cod that nearly hung off the plate) and my husband went for the monk fish wrapped in Parma ham, which was superb. Our youngest restaurant reviewer, our 16-month-old son Evan, tucked into his own portion of creamy mashed potatoes. He seemed suitably impressed and actually exclaimed ‘oh wow!’ upon their arrival! All of the staff went out of their way to be extra accommodating during our visit, which made dining out with our young child a much less stressful experience, which any parent with a child under five can appreciate. Now, to be honest, we shouldn’t have had dessert because frankly we were stuffed to the gills (sorry, I couldn’t resist the fish pun), but we managed to stretch our stomachs to squeeze in a brownie with banana ice cream, which was very rich and the perfect end to our meal.
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Situated mere metres from the gates of Battersea Park, the recently refurbished The Prince Albert is the perfect park side pit stop. This royal retreat boasts a menu of classic British fare, such as Young’s ale battered cod, Dingley Dell pork loin chops and a rather delicious looking brunch menu (available 10am - 5pm Monday to Saturday). The Vibe The decor is classic London gastropub with a cosy, homely feel; think book lined walls, faux taxidermy, and Farrow & Ball-esque colours. Come winter I’ll undoubtedly be back to curl up with a roast in front of the open fire. We visited on a Tuesday evening and was buzzing and obviously hugely popular with locals. The pub has regular events to keep people entertained, including live acoustic nights and a Monday night pub quiz. The Food From fish & chips to a killer Sunday roast, The Prince Albert’s menu is just what you’d expect from a London gastro pub. I started with some delicious fresh charred asparagus served with a poached egg, Isle of Mull cheddar and a dangerously moreish truffle dressing. My friend tried the melt-in-the-mouth, house-cured Severn & Wye salmon with pickled cucumber, Vodka crème fraiche (something we’re going to be recreating at home methinks…) and avocado purée. So far so good - refreshingly light starters to set us up perfectly for the main event. The chicken Kiev, a succulent butter-filled breast, was utterly divine and was served on a bed of crushed purple potatoes and parsley root purée. Similarly sublime was the grilled Cornish squid, baby monkfish, Suffolk chorizo, samphire, squid ink spelt and cockle popcorn - definitely a dish you want to try. The arrival of a pie at the next table, however, did incite some food envy - there’s a return visit booked in for that one! Ensure you leave some space for pudding or you’ll regret it. The sticky toffee pudding, with caramelised banana, toffee sauce and cornflake ice cream was to die for. The Drinks With an expertly chosen wine list of almost 50 bottles with a range of southern hemisphere bottles and vintages alongside classic European wine as well as a rich selection of bitter, premium and craft beers. We settles on a Rioja blanca at a very reasonable £22.50. The Verdict Great vibe, delicious food and the staff were brilliant - attentive, friendly, chatty without being annoying or overbearing. It’s perfectly located for lunch after a stroll round the park, and I’m looking forward to visiting in winter when cosy pub grub like this really comes into its own. Our experience overall
Food and drink **** Ambience **** Staff attentiveness/friendliness ***** Laurel Waldron A historical pub that's been serving up food and booze since 1856, this Victorian pub is bursting with character. Located just minutes from the picturesque canals of Little Venice, The Prince Alfred is conveniently located for locals looking for a charming place to enjoy a cheeky tipple and a hearty meal in a relaxed environment. The stylish Formosa Dining Room with its sharp, navy dining charis and comfy leather booths, seats up to 60 people and boasts an open kitchen, so guests can watch their meals being lovingly prepared. Downstairs beneath the main dining room lies the old coal cellar, which has since been transformed into four arches with seating, providing a secluded and sophisticated drinking or dining area.The cellars are available for private hire for up to 30 people, making it the perfect place to enjoy special occasions. The cuisine All of the dishes at The Prince Alfred are made using the best seasonal British ingredients. The food here is traditional pub fare made with flair, think sausages and mash (£11.50); cod fillet with ratatouille, kale pesto and black pudding (£16.50); pork belly (£16.50) and braised beef pie with seasonal vegetables (£12.50), to name just a few of the delicious items on offer. Our meal For my starter, I had the cured smoked duck breast with apple and celeriac coleslaw, fig and pomegranate dressing (£7.50), which was pleasantly tart and had a nice crunch to it. My friend opted for the butternut squash and baby spinach tart, Ragstone goats cheese mousse (£6.50), a comforting dish with warming, autumnal flavours. For my main, I selected the Sea Bass fillet with white sprouting broccoli, salsify, chilli tomato sauce and basil oil (£16.50), which was absolutely gorgeous and had the perfect balance of flavours. Be warned, the portion size is massive (consisting of 3x large slabs of sea bass), so only order this if you're feeling peckish! My friend opted for the Duo of lamb with ragstone goat cheese, peppers, sultanas, minted peas and lamb sauce (£18.00), which was very tender and had a lovely sweetness thanks to the addition of the sultanas. For dessert, we selected the Rhubarb & apricot tart, honeycomb ice cream, blackberry coulis (£6.00) and the sticky toffee pudding, vanilla bean ice cream, salted caramel sauce (£6.00) . Both desserts were nice, however, the massive slab of sticky toffee pudding was undoubtedly the star of the two.
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