The Prince Alfred: Maida Vale, London

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.

We loved the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant, which was perfect for allowing my friend and I to catch up without having to strain to hear each other speak - a welcome treat as many pub restaurants can be a bit too boisterous for a peaceful dining experience!  

​Overall, this is a great place to visit if you like simple, fuss free food served in a quirky, yet stylish environment.

The Prince Alfred
5A Formosa Street
London
W9 1EE

www.theprincealfred.com

A.A. Miln

Our experience overall

Food and drink ****
Ambience ****
Staff attentiveness/friendliness ***