Drew and Jen go to London » Covent Garden

One Pub, Two Pubs, Three Pubs, Tums

Jen — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:35:06 +0000

Last Sunday we took our lovely Nashville friends to the Columbia Road Flower Market before hitting The Marksman of Shoreditch for a proper pub lunch.

With full bellies we wandered to Holborn for a round at The Ship. (Ok, I may have had sparkling apple juice and a hand full of Tums. Whatever.)

After drinks, we visited Whittard Tea in the Covent Garden Piazza. Of course, being in proximity to Covent Garden warranted a trip to Porterhouse Pub.

A short walk away to Soho and we couldn’t resist our favorite little Japanese skewer restaurant Bincho Yakitori. I wish I had photos of the food! Drew and I had the tofu – I had the very yummy vegetable rice as well. Yeah, that’s my party pooping water. Laugh if you must.

After dinner we retired to the flat for ice cream, chocolate cupcakes, video games, and planning for J & Q’s trip to Paris the next day (Monday). Yes, Paris and back in one day. Crazy. (Shakes head.) They got a cab at 3am, flew at 8, and arrived back at the flat around 11pm with yummy Parisian treats. I must admit that I had not done much in their absence besides surviving my first day back at work. Once again, I was very thankful to be with friends.

Fire and Stone

Jen — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:33:17 +0000

There is something so irresistible about pizza when it’s baked in a real stone oven. I don’t know why. Fire and Stone, in Covent Garden, is a great alternative to the mainstream pizza chains littering London. The atmosphere is urban loft, but we found the staff to be quite friendly. (The restaurant feels almost like a warehouse after being in some of the tight spaces London has to offer.)

You can probably create thousands of combinations mixing the toppings and sauces, but you might be amused by one of the geographically inspired items on the menu. I think the novelty of the oven and the pizza names may have been a little more special than the pizza actually was, but it was still quite good.

It’s a nice place to eat a pizza and enjoy company just off the busy streets of Covent Garden.

31/32 Maiden Lane
Covent Garden
London
WC2E 7JS
phone: 0844 371 2550

Lowlander

Jen — Tue, 19 May 2009 07:41:28 +0000

As you leave Holborn on your way to Covent Garden, a little off the main way, there is a great place to meet and eat called Lowlander Grand Cafe. It’s a casual place to enjoy lunch and friends with an open door feel.

I recommend trying something completely new. However, do not be fooled by the menu-the chili sauce that comes with the (really great) chips is not spicy. It’s good — I just don’t want you to have your taste buds ready to be set on fire or anything like that.

Dress casually and bring some friends to share a starter or a beer stick!

36 Drury Lane
Covent Garden
London
Westminster
WC2B
phone: 020 7398 8622

The Porterhouse Pub

Jen — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:18:18 +0000

Unfortunately, Porterhouse Pub is no secret. The good news is that you can still squeeze in. It’s located very near the Piazza in Covent Garden and is quite a lovely place to wander with friends. The atmosphere is great, even if a bit on the loud side. They feature live music, including traditional Irish music one day a week. Boasting loads of specialty beers and lagers, a beer drinker is sure to find something new that they always wanted to try, but never knew existed.

The Covent Garden menu looks pretty nice as pubs go and there is a nice sized (as outdoor pub spaces go) covered outdoor space as well. Stop in for an old or soon to be favorite! The interior is very worth the short bar queue, especially on a Sunday afternoon or Bank Holiday.

The Porterhouse Covent Garden
21-22 Maiden Lane
Covent Garden
London WC2 E7NA
tel: (+44) 207 379 7917
fax: (+44) 207 379 7991