Smugglers Tavern

Wander around Fitzrovia for an evening and it won’t take long for you to realise that this part of London is an underrated neighbourhood full of classic, homely boozers. And guess what? The Smuggler’s Tavern is one of the best – thanks in no small part to its excellent food menu provided by Bap & Pickle.

Located on Warren Street, which is actually much closer to the bustle of Oxford Street than it feels, the Smuggler’s Tavern is as simple as they come. The plain room is decorated with some nautical touches but anything that might detract from the puritan style is kept to the minimum. A bar that runs along the back wall of the pub serves two floors of seating. The ground floor bar can get lively, while the first floor is all about offering a lounge setting in which to drink and be merry.

The style of the pub may be classic but the food and drink is anything but. You’ll find a good range of craft beers on draught including the excellent Meantime Yakima Red and you’ll pay about £4.50 a pint. Food is provided by the Bap & Pickle team; who have curated a menu that will make you want to eat far more than you can in one sitting. We ate the pulled pork bun with deep-fried pickle along with some sweet, bourbon baby-back ribs that come dressed in breadcrumbs. Both hit the spot and made a good change to the usual pub grub. We were also informed that the chicken wings are a Bap and Pickle specialty but unfortunately they were all out on the occasion we visited.

London is covered with pubs and bars but in an area like Fitzrovia, it’s always good to have a recommendation. So here you have it: next time you’re in the area we recommend you head to the Smuggler’s Tavern.