The Owl & Pussycat

Redchurch Street has enough pulling power to attract all the hip faces these days. Celebrities want a piece of it, boutique hotels set up here and even American clothing giant J Crew considered a spot here. Long ago this street was filled with low rent slum tenements and while the clean up has, well, cleaned things up, the road has been left with stylishly worn buildings and a few original venues that tend to its soul. Just like The Owl and Pussycat.

When Shoreditch was what Dalston was yesterday, this pub was the area’s HQ. A status it possibly shared with the Bricklayers Arms. Nowadays the pub’s outsider Shoreditch spirit lives on, albeit with the addition of some gastro credentials added to bring in an increasingly diverse crowd – a good thing.

The Owl & the Pussycat is large, although you wouldn’t know it thanks to the crowds. This is the heart of Shoreditch, which means people and plenty of them. Nine times out of ten, you’ll be lucky to find a good spot for standing. And while this might put off those of you who appreciate a sit down, it’s actually one of the pub’s best qualities. Frequented by an unsurprisingly stylish crowd, the throng makes for a rowdy atmosphere that forever inspires ‘just one more drink’.

Drink regular lager or choose something from the latest influx of real ales and craft beers. Come for eggs benedict on weekends, the time when you’re likely to find a table without having to head upstairs to the spacious dining room. Alternatively do go upstairs where weekday evenings are quiet enough to get in to enjoy the largely classic British gastro menu.

The Owl & the Pussycat may have undergone renovation and gastro injections but its soul remains intact. Retaining a heritage look following its renovation a few years ago, the pub is a smarter version of its old self. Not that you’d notice with all these people drinking their ales and generally having an awesome time.