164. Marylebone, 11th October 2014

On a pleasingly warm Autumn day, we decided to head into London for a few ales. The well-trodden path from Marylebone to the Allsop Arms immediately brought us to our first decent pints although I could not be bothered to write them down as this is hardly a new pub for us. Without being remarkable, it is reliable and always has a reasonable variety. A new pub was then visited, the busy Globe on Baker Street and for some reason this place was heaving though not to an extent to make it unpleasant. Pretty standard boozer with a good array of beers - 1730, Purity Gold, Reverend James, Sharps Atlantic, Batemans Black and White. Quite why we stayed for a few rounds I do not know but it did allow the opportunity to fix up a meeting with Richard Bradshaw at the next pub.

This was the recently revamped Royal Oak in Marylebone London. With a DJ at a record player and a selection of craft beers being consumed by bearded individuals, it is quite hipster but fortunately not overly so and retains much of its charm. I ignored the bottle and craft offerings and wrote down only the proper beer: Westerham Summer Perle, Portobello Pale, Timothy Taylor Landlord, an offering from Hackney. They also do highly recommended burgers.

The Harcourt Arms with its Swedish vibe is always a good spot for a few and this day was no exception. We enjoyed some excellent music while supping a couple of rounds of excellent ales, including Chelsea Blonde, London Session and Doom Bar. The Chapel around the corner is quite a trendy place to go although it does have a most excellent garden. If you can head for there and avoid the more pizzeria style interior then you'll have a tolerable stay. Black Sheep and Southwold were the order of the day.

The crawl came to a conclusion at a couple more tried and trusted options. First of all, the Larrik, a much grander gastropub than the Chapel which at least does not overdo the quirkiness. Comfortable surroundings for pints of Hook Norton Lion and West Berks Good Old Boy. And no trip to the Marylebone area is complete without one (or more) in the Windsor Castle, that splendidly tat filled boudoir of a pub with excellent ales. Perennial 6X available, alongside Abbot and Southwold.


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Dan Lovegrove
dan@doctor-lovegrove.com

Last updated 13th September 2015.