The Anglesea Arms sits on a leafy residential street on the Hammersmith side of Ravenscourt Park, and it’s one of the pubs that kick-started London’s gastropub movement. Exactly which got there first is still debated, with The Eagle in Farringdon the other contender, but the Anglesea has kept its reputation as one of west London’s most dependable places to eat for well over two decades.
From the outside it looks like any other neighbourhood local, and the front bar still works as one, with regulars propping up the counter and a log fire roaring through winter. Beyond that, the gorgeous period dining room also boasts views of an open kitchen, and there’s a small terrace out front that catches the sun on warmer days.
The cooking is modern British with a Mediterranean streak, and the menu changes regularly to follow what suppliers bring in. The pub keeps things seasonal, with dishes such as guinea fowl and green peppercorn terrine with quince jam, baked halibut with new potatoes and brown shrimp, and monkfish tagine. Puddings lean classic, with sticky toffee pudding, creme brulee and flourless chocolate cake.
Sunday lunch is the pub’s busiest service, when roast beef and confit pork belly draws families from across W6 and beyond - book ahead. The wine list is longer and more interesting than most pubs bother with, including some rather special magnums, and the bar keeps a good ale selection on tap for those who are only in for a pint.
Service is relaxed and friendly rather than formal, which suits a crowd made up largely of locals, many of whom have been coming here for years. For a meal with friends after a stroll round Ravenscourt Park, it’s hard to beat.