There are said to be about 7,000 pubs in London, so anointing one the best is a clearly a fool’s exercise, particularly given that beauty – and beer – is often in the eye of the beholder.
However, it is fair to say that The Grenadier should at least be in the conversation, boasting all the qualities a good public house should have in spades. Indeed, one local review goes so far as to call the establishment “royalty amongst London pubs” and a “historic treasure chest (that) is not your usual insipid public house.”
Start with the location: The pub nestles in at 18 Wilton Row in Belgravia near Harrod’s and Hyde Park (tube station Knightsbridge). But more to the point, it’s on a tiny, dead-end cobbled mews in a quiet neighbourhood where “time stands still” – and far from the throngs of Soho and crowds of Covent Garden. On my first visit, it took a helpful local to lead us there.
The pub also has a befitting back-story: Built in 1720 as a mess for the British army, it dates to 1818 as a public house and was ultimately named in honour of the Grenadier Guards in the Battle of Waterloo. Frequented by the Duke of Wellington and King George IV, modern guests have included Prince William and Madonna. Oh, and there’s a ghost, they say, for whom the ceiling is curiously plastered with money.
The Grenadier is tiny, which makes for friendly close quarters with other guests, if not always a seat – especially for Sunday roast (which includes Yorkshire pudding that could fill the Albert Hall).
Get Google going and the you’ll find shout-outs for the best Beef Wellington in the city – humbly dubbed “Our famous Beef Wellington” on the menu (£29.50) – but there are also more reasonably priced options and a bar menu, though both a step up in quality and variety from standard pub grub.
The bar is also known for its Bloody Mary cocktails, elaborately concocted from a secret recipe, and they are bloody good if a tad expensive. But for purists, real ale is still pumped and served across the pewter-topped bar, and there is a wine list.
The Grenadier is open from 11 a.m. (noon on Sundays) to 11:30 p.m. daily. Reservations for food recommended on weekends.
“Pub Crawl,” is an ongoing series in which we reveal some of our favourite public houses, both at home and abroad – and, in the spirit of the establishment, invite you to share with us yours. Send suggestions to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com.
Cheers!