The Anchor & Hope

Timeless Riverside Charm with Celebrity Views

Stepping into this charming East London nook felt like being swept downstream to a place where time gently nods, crown in hand, and allows for an honest pint without the trappings of today’s all-too-often pretentious haunts. Yes, the River Lea flows gently by with the grace of a liquid runway, showcasing a parade of intriguing houseboats which are as much a fixture as the misbehaving seagulls attempting a coup de can table. The 'old man's pub' vibe is most faithfully preserved here, along with Fullers ESB that caresses the palate just right—all prompting one to wonder whether London Pride is a moral standpoint or just a damn good beer after all.

Yet, here lies beauty: a boozer finely aged and untampered with modern vanity. From marinating in celebrity sightings on nostalgic boat rides—a vintage Timothy Spall sighting on the high seas, anyone?—to entertaining occurrences of staff mingling even after shifts and the relentless cornerstone duo perceived to have escaped period drama, Anchor & Hope delivers on its endearing identity. It’s true, creature comforts of service may occasionally leave the isle perplexed, but if staring deeply into waters of nothingness—a brilliantly British pastime if horses parloched along liquid thoroughfares lest you already assumed—appeals, then surely, forgive we might. In the comfort of crackling fireplaces, laid-back banter, injectable nostalgia feel like mid-summer nectar for today’s weary traveler. I may need to rejuvenate my sense of arrogance more needfully elsewhere, but here, grounding awaits one guffaw at a time—with cheese crackers to facilitate joie de vivre awaiting the next afternoon's inauguration. — Penelope Savory