the Queen's Larder

This pub is nicely located, away from the busy roads on a quiet street which makes it a good spot for a quick pint or two just out front. Inside there’s a small bar downstairs, with 5 or 6 small tables and a nice, if low key atmosphere. The bar is well stocked and it was good to see Leffe on tap.

Nice pint of Guinness, sit outside and no traffic roaring past.

A nice little boozer frequented by a curious mix of (remarkably wealthy) locals and tourists. A good selection of beers and a more than adequate bar menu, this pub would receive a higher rating, were it not for the slightly standoffish service.

A new entry in the Top 5! Best ploughman’s in town

I wrote this review some time ago after quite a long, boozey lunch in the Queen’s Larder (is that a euphemism?) and decided that it was probably drunken nonsense and best not to post it. Having re-read it, and revisited the pub many times I’ve decided to post it anyway! There is not a word of a lie, not a single exaggeration in the following review. One of the best pubs in London!

“I don’t know how often you go to a restaurant or pub, or meet a new friend that you just love SO much that you want to tell everyone you know about it. But what then?! All of a sudden everyone knows about your new favourite place, everyone wants to hang out there, it gets busy, the place tarnishes, it’s no longer special, and beautiful and ALL YOUR VERY OWN! So, Phil and I don’t really talk to each other any more….

On a less creepy note, The Queens Larder is much like my former-friend Phil.
Quite simply, it’s perfect. Tucked away off Southampton Row, Queen’s Square is like the Secret Garden, just with out any locked doors or creepy Franciscine boys conversing with robins – a little haven of peace and tranquillity, flowers and trees, complete with market squarette and the wrought iron gated Queen’s Square Gardens. Seriously, if Peter Pan had been a little less ambitious he could well have ended up by here instead. And, by Zeus’s beard! Is that a Green King boozer I spy?!

Now, you may have realised from the timbre of my musings (and by my use of the word “timbre”) that I have just been enjoying a rather lengthy and boozy lunch there. As a consequence I am in much trouble at work (despite a LARGE box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts to apologise for my late return and the delicate bouquet of ale and pickled onions I brought along) but I would gladly suffer the indignity all over again for the pleasure of sitting outside this charming old town boozer, in the sunshine, with the best Ploughman’s I have had in a long time, a good pint or two of Green King’s finest, and a facefull of sunshine.

On to some less abstract information – to drink. There is the standard selection of lagers, cider, etc plus a couple of Belgium “poncy” beers. Most important, there are three Green King cask beers (both the IPA and Sunchaser are top drawer) and a wine list which no pub should be ashamed to have (though I can see the wine bar brigade’s heckles bristling slightly…)

The food menu is to die for! I know this is a subject on which I have moaned before but there are so few pubs where you can go these days and have a proper pub lunch. I’m talking Ploughman’s, a proper Club Sandwich, pie and mash, a huge array of sandwiches which revolve largely around cheese and/or cold meats. Having seen a laden plate making it’s way to a neighbouring table my friends and I all went for a Ploughman’s, though for sake of variety we ordered one of each – ham, stilton, cheddar & brie. I also ordered a bowl of chips.

Although it wasn’t the most rapid service in the world, I don’t mind! There were plenty of other diners, and the food was evidently carefully prepared and beautifully presented. I’m impressed at their ability to pile so much food onto one plate with out it looking like… well, a pile of food! The ham, home cooked, cut thick as y’tongue, delicious, juicy and flavoursome. The cheese was served in huge, door wedge chucks, mature, at the right temperature, just as it should be! All this was accompanied by pickled onions, pickled gherkins, a hard boiled egg, a generous helping of salad, discretely dressed, creamy soft butter, sweet pickle, a hot apple pie (move over sliced-of-Brabourne! You’re old news) and generous slices of fresh, crusty bread. I don’t think that any one touched the chips. There was just no need.

Nice local atmosphere in the heart of Bloomsbury. Medics, students and tourists mingle in the small bar and forecourt and a convivial occasion is practically guaranteed. Hoegaarden, Old Speckled Hen and Greene King should satisfy the ale buffs; Carling for the merely thirsty. Lunchtime food stretches neither imagination nor wallet but fills a gap. Check out the clowns at the bar – and, no this does not refer to the friendly bar staff…

I went many times in this pub, that’s a bit small but the inside is “so british”. Very pleasant to have a couple of drinks there. A bit expensive!

Been to this place a number of times now, and I wouldn’t recommend it in the evening unless you don’t mind standing outside, thats where I’ve always ended up, butt hat doesn’t mean it’s not a good place to go. It is on the corner of a pedestrianised street which makes an outside pint or two actually very pleasant. The decor inside is very nice, though you do get the feeling they’ve tried to go down the wine bar route but didn’t quite get there. In the afternoon particularly its nice to while an hour or two away inside. It tends to be frequented by workers from the local Hospital or publishing types, which is perhaps how it manages to be so consistently busy.

This little pub is tucked into a corner of Queen's Square, near Russell Square. Its not a bad place to stop off for a pint while on a stroll around the area, but there's nothing special about it either. The service was fast when I was there, although it wasn't that crowded. There were enough seats although the tables were tiny- barely enough room for five glasses! We were also thinking of grabbing a pint, heard the food was acceptable, but apparently the chef hadn't turned up that day so we made do with crisps.