The Royal Oak

During the exuberant Sunday flower market, The Royal Oak is Columbia Road’s pub of choice. Its well-preserved, wood-panelled interior & small courtyard come alive as flower-laden shoppers pile in. The central horseshoe bar is a hive of activity, all the seats around it occupied & hipsters squeezed into the gaps. The venue is more relaxed midweek: all the better to enjoy the Brit-leaning gastropub food & snacks, either in the bar or the kookily furnished upstairs dining room. Rock oysters, Dorset crab with lemon mayonnaise, & grilled sardines with tomato & marjoram, are typical choices, though eggs Benedict & steak sandwiches are the real crowd-pleasers. Choose from continental beers on tap (Amstel & Leffe included) or Meantime LPA or Landlord on the pumps. That’s if you can resist the advice on the wine list: ‘rosé Prosecco. It goes with everything.’