The Duke of Edinburgh

Experience London's Premier Beer Garden!

Ah, The Duke of Edinburgh in Brixton, a pub that straddles the charm of historic intrigue and the trappings of modern-day escapades. Walking into this grade II listed institution is akin to entering a time capsule; furnished with the kind of old-world craftsmanship that fosters spontaneous reveries of gin-soaked tomfoolery. High-domed and mahogany-panelled, it offers both chimerical nostalgia and up-to-the-minute sport on every big-enough wall. As one ambles towards the back, one trips upon its enormous beer garden, presumably swaying under the call of lounging individuals nursing lagers. While the garden boasts perhaps more shades than the downstairs cloakroom at Ascot, beware: the weekend enforcers, wielding their plastic pint glass edicts like ballroom dictators, need a charisma transplant urgently.

The charm orchestrated by the vintage interior, however, comes somewhat unstuck when confronted with service features that are, let us say, polarising. On good days, the staff are as charming as they are efficient, but find yourself amidst the notorious 'plastic cup regime' enforced by the staff—or even the hefty bark of an iron-handed bouncer—and irony will cut through your merriment like a knife through half-defrosted custard. On the gustatorial front, the burgers from Bando Belly promise taste-bud revelries, and for once, the burgers deliver, albeit when served in the practical allure of aluminium trays. Consider this less the refined elegance of Michelin-starred dining, or even reliable grub, as instead a deft combination of mouth-satisfaction and compromised eco-fellant beer buzz. Finish with a stout or beer, served both promptly and prosaically, to cleanse your soul and ready you once more to give London’s quirkiest pub yet another chance. — Penelope Savory