The Horseshoe

With its lofty ceilings, jumbo windows & acres of wood this handsome hostelry can feel chilly when the temperature drops outside. Beer, brewed just down the road, will soon warm you up though – the pub is home to the Camden Town Brewery. Food is served in both the whitewashed dining area at the back & in the breezy pub up front. Beer-battered fish with mushy peas, & twice-cooked Blythburgh pork belly, can always be relied on, though other enticements might include plaice, samphire & brown shrimps, or mussels in tomato & bacon ragù. Eggs Benedict & Red Poll beef roasts are the bee’s knees for weekend brunches & lunches, while vanilla pannacotta is among a handful of failsafe desserts. Service can be detached, but the Hampstead hordes don’t seem deterred.