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London Bar Guide
Belgian beer can be found all over London...but you have to know where to look.
In common with many aspects of Belgian culture, it doesn't really advertise its
presence, so here is an up-to-date guide to pubs, bars and restaurants in and
around London where you can drink Belgian beer. A list of off
licences stocking Belgian beer can be found at the end of the main list.
Please help! If you know of anywhere in or near London which stocks a range of
Belgian beer please e-mail me with details - or,
better still, let everyone know by posting a note on the messageboard.
Abbaye
Belgian Brasserie, 102 Old Brompton Road, London SW5
Five minutes'
walk from South Kensington tube. Noisy bar area at the front, quieter dining area
at the back. Orval, Straffe Hendrik, Chimay, Rochefort, Duvel, Kwak, Delirium
Tremens and the usual suspects from Leffe and Belle-Vue on draught and various
fruit beers. Abbaye,
242 The Glades, Bromley
Grimbergen and
a good selection of fruit and blond beers are available at this Abbaye, along
with Belgian cuisine. Auberge,
1 Sandell Street, London SE1
Candles on the
tables and old church seats give this place, located in a lane right outside Waterloo
Station, an intimate atmosphere. Auberge serves Stella, Hoegaarden & Leffe
Blond on tap, and the bottled range includes Duvel, Chimay, Rochefort, Kwak &
various fruit beers. The food is good, but the service can be somewhat charmless.
Other Auberges can be found in the Whitgift Centre, Croydon, the Peacock Centre,
Woking and Uxbridge. Belgo
Centraal, 50 Earlham Street, London WC2 (020 7813 2233)
This massive place in Covent Garden, situated at the convergence of Shelton St
& Earlham St, was reputedly the largest restaurant in London when it opened
a few years back. Very modern, all glass and steel but with an incongruous
monastic motif. If it is busy, you can drink at the small bar at the entrance
while waiting to be called. When the table is ready, you step onto a sort of industrial
gantry and are transported to the lower level, where you then have the pleasure
of walking past the assembly line of mussel-pots to the large beer hall. The menu
is based on mussels in various sauces though there are other options such as sausage,
and all are naturally served with frites and mayonnaise. Belgo Centraal
is something of an all-round sensory experience, though some may find it all a
bit on the hectic side. Belgo
Noord, 72 Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 (020 7267 0718)
Less frantic than the Covent Garden branch, the original Belgo is located opposite
The Roundhouse near Chalk Farm tube station, just far enough away from the market
to avoid the claustrophobic crowds. There is an elegant curved bar at one end
of the restaurant which is divided down the middle by a partition wall. Belgo
Noord is decked out in a modern style with plenty of natural light streaming in
and a nice conversation-piece in the form of a long list of odd words (most I
believe to be improbably-named fish but I could well be wrong) around the wall.
The beerlist and menu are the same as the other Belgos.
Click here
to go to the Belgo/Bierodrome website.
The Bierodrome,
173/174 Upper Street, London N1 (020 7226 5835)
Ultra-stylish Belgo offshoot which is essentially more of a bar than a restaurant,
so you can drink in a less frenetic atmosphere. The range has been severely reduced
from the original - and somewhat ambitious - 201 beers to a less inspiring range
of around 30-odd. There is a cut-down Belgo menu as well as snacks. The décor
celebrates the idiosyncrasies of Belgian culture. They also sell glasses and gift
sets. The
Bierodrome, 44-48 Clapham High Street, London SW4 (020 7720 1118)
The South London Bierodrome is similar in design to the North London original.
The dining and drinking sections are quite distinct, being separated by the central
bar area. Like the other Belgo establishments, the clientèle mainly comprises
people on a big night out. The Bierodrome is located between Clapham
North and Clapham Common Northern Line stations.
The
Bierodrome, 67 Kingsway, London WC2 (020 7242 7469)
You know the deal by now...
The Bull, 100
Upper Street, London N1(020 7354 9174)
Leffe and Grimbergen Blonde, and Hoegarden on tap and also a selection of bottled
beers. Has a nice relaxed feel to it and serves some quite good food.
The
Cow, 89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 (Dining Rooms 020 7221 2021)
Excellent and unusual West London local. The Cow sells over a dozen Belgian beers
including De Koninck and Hoegaarden on draught, the latter thankfully bereft of
its usual fancy pump. The bar food is based on shellfish, principally oysters,
and a friendly atmosphere pervades the establishment. The clientèle is
a mix of locals and people who have sought out The Cow specially, and the décor
is simple - traditional with a few retro Guinness ads adorning the walls.
There is a highly-regarded restaurant, 'The Cow Dining Rooms', upstairs.
De
Hems, 11 Macclesfield Street, London W1
Dutch 'café bar' just off Shaftesbury Avenue serving a good range of Belgian beer.
As well as the familiar ones (Chimay, Duvel etc.) they also have some less usual
ones (Palm, Karmeliet). All these can be enjoyed with chips and mayonnaise.
The
Dog and Bell, 116 Prince Street, London SE8
Small local nestling amongst the Thamesside housing estates, The Dog and Bell
offers Piraat, Hommelbier, Bieken, Troubadour, Dikke Matilda, Oud Beersel, Hannsens
Kriek and several others. It's easily accessed from London Bridge, being only
a five minute walk from Deptford station.
The
Dovetail, 9 Jerusalem Passage, London EC1 (020 7490 7321)
This is not ideally placed for passing trade, located as it is in a tiny lane
in the labyrinthine depths of Clerkenwell, but it is a jewel. The Leffe lanterns
outside make a welcoming sight indeed. There are 100+ beers available here.
The menu is eclectic with a Belgian thread running through, and the clientèle
is mainly composed of local office workers. On tap they serve Stella, Jupiler,
Belle-Vue Kriek & Gueuze, Leffe Blonde & Brune, De Koninck plus a guest
ale. Anyone even slightly interested in Belgian beer should find it well worth
seeking out. For special occasions, you can buy beer by the barrel, and they
can also organise beer & cheese tasting evenings.
The
Dove Freehouse, 24-26 Broadway Market, London E8 (020 7275 7617)
This place in Hackney combines the same range of Belgian beer as the other 'Doves'
with a real ale and lager range found in more conventional London pubs. Cosy interior
with a great atmosphere. "Not so much a pub as a set from a David Lynch movie",
said the Evening Standard. The Doves collectively picked up the 1999 Hop Award
for pubs promoting Belgian beer. Click here
here to go to the Doves website.
Lowlander Beer
Café, 36 Drury Lane, London WC2 (020 7379 7446)
Dutch-style Covent Garden café offering a large range of continental beers
on tap and more in bottles. Belgian brews available include four of the Trappists,
Straffe Hendrik, Mort Subite Geueze and others. Moreover, there are interesting
Dutch beers aplenty, along with a sizeable winelist. Glen Baxter cartoons decorate
the walls, and the location makes it ideal for an evening session or a quick beer'n'chips
of an afternoon. The
Magpie & Crown, High Street, Brentford, Middlesex
This homely real ale pub, sometime local CAMRA pub of the year, has an ever changing
roster of Belgian (and German) bottled beers, plus Hoegaarden and Affligem on
draught. German beer aficionados note they now also have Paulaner Weisse Beer
and Paulaner Munchner Original on tap, served in the correct glasses.
Microbar,
14 Lavender Hill, London SW11 (020 7228 5300)
New Battersea establishment dedicated to selling only the finest quality beers.
Consequently, Belgium is well-represented - Liefmans, Westmalle Triple, Orval,
Duvel, gueuzes from Mort Subite & Cantillon, Timmermans, and Rodenbach Grand
Cru. Also Melbourn Bros. fruit beers and the superb Liberty Ale from San Francisco
on tap. Nearest tube is Clapham Common, national rail Queenstown Road Battersea
or Clapham Junction. The
Portobello Gold, 97 Portobello Road, London W11 (020 7460 4900)
A multi-functional place (bar/restaurant/hotel/cybercafé/gallery) in Notting
Hill. The Gold is a small, friendly bar selling Hoegaarden & Leffe on tap
and a few other Belgian selections in bottles: Chimay, Westmalle Tripel, Hoegaarden
Grand Cru and Forbidden Fruit. An excellent, relaxed establishment, though don't
expect the correct glass. www.portobellogold.com
The
Porterhouse, 21-22 Maiden Lane, London WC2
Large Irish pub located between Covent Garden & The Strand. The huge range
of drinks available includes 20-30 Belgian beers. The place is split up into multiple
levels and alcoves, so if you've arranged to meet friends here you may need to
spend a bit of time hunting them down. The Porterhouse has gone for an industrial
look - you won't find any pastoral Irish fakery here - and cabinets on the walls
display a multitude of bottled beers. Unfortunately, all Belgian beers are served
in a generic too-small glass. An excellent establishment, nonetheless.
The
Priory Arms, 83 Lansdowne Way, London SW8
Excellent but very small local less than five minutes' walk from Stockwell tube.
Sells the Chimay range, Duvel and various Timmermans beers, along with German
beers and numerous guest ales.
The Pub on
the Park, 19 Martello Street, London E8
Hackney pub overlooking London Fields, with plenty of outdoor seating. Hoegaarden,
Lucifer and I think De Koninck and Leffe on tap.
Quinn's,
65 Kentish Town Road, London NW5
Corner pub between Kentish Town & Camden with a huge beer range. This includes
over 20 Belgian ales with Hoegaarden, Leffe Blond, Belle-Vue Kriek & Gueuze
all on tap. There is something of a Leffe presence here with mirrors & even
a Leffe flag on display. An excellent place for those seeking to consume their
Belgian beers in a more conventional environment. Also has Sky TV.
Rose's,
49 Hare Street, London EC4
Woolwich local selling the same range as The Dog and Bell in Deptford. !**Warning...No
Belgian beer available according to latest reports...I'll try to find out more.**
The
Railway, Kew Gardens Station, Station Parade, Richmond
This station pub retains vestiges of the Firkin brand and sells Duvel, Westmalle,
Leffe Brune, De Koninck, Delirium Tremens and a large number of fruit beers (albeit
from the lightweight end of the spectrum). On Tuesday evenings there is a two-for-one
deal, and better still, you can mix and match.
The Samuel
Pepys, Stew Lane, High Timber St, London EC4
Stylish pub right on the Thames offering a great view over to the Tate Modern.
The drinks on offer here include Duvel, Liefmans, Hoegaarden, Orval & Chimay.
As yet, it's only open on weekdays. www.samuelpepys.co.uk
The
Wenlock Arms, 26 Wenlock Road, London N1
Lively local just off the City Road which has won numerous CAMRA branch awards.
Belgian beers on offer here are the three Chimays, Duvel and sometimes Liefmans.
Their website documents the huge number
of real ales they have gone through with impressive diligence and seems to be
kept up-to-date with the latest goings on. The pub is located roughly half way
between Angel and Old Street tube stations.
The
White Horse, 1 Parsons Green, London SW6
Well-known and busy pub in leafy Fulham, serving a broad range of Belgian beer
and a good range of real ale too, not to mention plenty of bottled beers from
elsewhere. Click here
to go to The White Horse website.
Off Licences
Army
and Navy, 101 Victoria Street, London SW1
Stocks Kwak; Brugs Witbier; Chimay red, blue and white; Leffe brune & Leffe
triple; Belle Vue Gueuze; Westmalle Tripel; Delirium Tremens; La Guillotine; Judas
gift pack including glass; Orval gift pack including glass, some nice Belgian
beer glasses and Lucifer. Also some nice French beers including (La Choulette
blonde, ambree and peche).
Cave Direct,
40 Parkview Road, Welling
Long-established Belgian beer importer, off licence and on-line
seller.
Kris Wines, 394 York Way, London N7
About 30 Belgian beers available in this offie near the junction with Camden Road.
Nelson
Wines, 168 Merton High Street, London SW19
Small off licence selling an interesting range of 20-30 Belgian beers including
many in 75cl bottles. Quaffs,
Spitalfields Fine Food Market, Crispin Place, London E1
Specialist beer retailer with main emphasis on Belgian beers, though they do also
stock Dutch, German, Austrian, Czech, Italian plus some from US micros. Open
Thur, Fri 11-5pm & Sun 10-5pm. www.quaffs.co.uk
Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, London W1
The world-famous
department store offers a very good range of Belgian beer:- Kwak, Cantillon Gueuze,
Cantillon Kriek, Grimbergen Blonde, Saison Dupont, Witkap Pater, Witkap Tripel,
La Trappe, La Chouffe, Boon Gueuze, Hoegaarden Grand Cru, a range of Leffes (though
not the Vieille Cuvée), Abbaye des Roc, La Guillotine, St Bernardus (full
range), Bush and many others. Not too pricey, either. Sadly they no longer stock
glasses.
Theatre of Wine, 75 Trafalgar Road, London SE10
Stocks Chimay Red and Blue, Orval, Leffe Vielle Cuvée, Hoegaarden, Forbidden
Fruit, various lambics, Malheur and lots of others. www.theatreofwine.com
Utobeer, Borough Market, Southwark Street, London SE1
Stall at "London's Larder". Open Friday afternoon and 9-4 on Saturdays,
offering a broad selection of Belgian beers along with British and German ones.
www.utobeer.co.uk. Also
www.boroughmarket.org.uk.
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