London is a city packed with more restaurants than you can shake a stick at and while heading to a Michelin-starred eatery or fancy dining venue is fantastic, sometimes you just want some proper hearty pub food. This is where the Clerk and Well pub in Clerkenwell comes in.
One of the oldest pubs in London, it’s a proper neighbourhood haunt where you walk in and immediately feel part of the furniture. It’s cosy, welcoming, and no matter the day of the week you head down, you’re guaranteed to find a buzzing atmosphere. It’s somewhere you can bring your friends or your other half, where you can relax over a pint and large glass of wine and know you’re going to get some really delicious food along the way.
We head to the Clerk and Well pub on a mid-week afternoon, dodge the suited and booted post-work crowd that has spilled onto the pavement, sipping pints, laughing and revelling in the late-afternoon sun. We’re led through a cosy bar area packed with revellers to a quieter dining space at the back. The walls are decorated in navy panelling and adorned with pictures, the floor is a smooth wood and the tables are shiny marble. The overall feel is a warm yet traditional spot to spend an evening or afternoon.
We order our drinks – a beer and glass of wine, before sitting back to peruse the menu. Starters include the likes of pressed ham terrine, buffalo burrata with peas, Severn & wye smoked eel and Tonkats CackleBean scotch eggs. The choices are intriguing yet all sound delicious, offering a contemporary twist on traditional pub food. I opt for the hummus that’s accompanied by baby heritage carrots, sea salted crackers, pomegranate and sumac. My partner chooses the ham terrine that comes with sea salted crackers, house piccalilli and homemade salad cream. Both are presented beautifully and the portions are much larger than you expect from a city restaurant. Prices are reasonable too, with both costing £7.50 each.
Mains wise there are a host of classics with a twist, including Cider-battered cod loin with triple-cooked chips, Pressed bacon belly, a beef burger and Harissa chicken. My partner opts for the burger and it comes layered with smoked cheddar, burnt onion mayo, an onion ring and dill pickle, with triple-cooked chips on the side. A good burger is an indication of a good restaurant – after all, if you can’t get the basics right, it doesn’t often bode well for the rest of the menu. Luckily this is utterly delicious and packed with flavour. I opt for the harissa chicken that comes on a bed of salad dressed with pickled walnuts, shallots and parmesan. Again, the flavours are impressive and the portion size is more than enough. In fact, it’s almost a challenge to order dessert but after our waitress passes with a sticky toffee pudding for the table bedside us we are sold.
To round off our meal at the Clerk and Well pub I choose their hot fudge brownie sundae while my partner opts for the sticky toffee pudding. It’s no surprise that they both follow the pattern of the evening and are absolutely delicious. It’s these old-school, no-fuss desserts that tend to be the best and as we sit stuffed to the brim with ice cream and cake it’s really no competition.
The Clerk and Well pub in Clerkenwell is a beautiful neighbourhood dining destination that ticks all the boxes. Each dish is cooked with care and precision, the portion sizes are more than generous and the prices don’t break the bank. The next time you’re looking for food that tastes fantastic yet isn’t fussy or OTT, this is your place.
FYI – The Clerk and Well also has eight boutique rooms if you’re looking for somewhere to stay! You can check this out here!
