Wenlock & Essex

Islington’s party crowd loves this cavernous circus of a venue. A multitude of bulbs twinkle down from the ornate red & gold ceiling on to Chesterfield sofas & scattered wooden tables, & at weekends, the naughty neon ‘Satan’s Circus’ club hosts regular comedy, DJ sets & live music. The W&E is more about fun than food, though you can order Saturday brunch (perhaps pancake with caramelised banana, crispy bacon, maple syrup & fruit compote), Sunday lunch, & a small batch of bar snacks, sandwiches & more substantial meals during the week. Cocktails & wine are available, but beer drinkers are the best served. The pub has links to the Camden Town Brewery, so in addition to interesting bottled beers (Estrella Damm, Blue Moon, Negra Modelo), there’s Camden Hells, Pale Ale & Wheat Beer on tap.