South Kensington is to get a traditional boozer from the guys behind Brompton Food Market…
Luke Mackay (left) and David Turcan (the duo behind artisan emporium Brompton Food Market) are at the helm of this new South Kensington pub, The Hour Glass, and, if their shop around the corner is anything to go by, it’s going to be a very welcome addition to SW3. Chef Tim Parsons – who has cooked under Bruno Loubet and at The Ebury in Belgravia – works to a philosophy of ‘the best tasting ingredients, left alone’ and his menu is seasonally led with ingredients supplied by artisan producers from, you guessed it, Brompton Food Market.
Highlights are set to include sea bream with cauliflower, burnt leeks and brown shrimp, and flat-iron steak with chips and bone-marrow gravy enjoyed in the 28-cover dining room on the first floor. For pud, chocolate porter cake with milk ice cream and honeycomb sounds on the money for the pubby surrounds. When it comes to drinks, London brewers make up at least half of the draft options, joined by some cloudy scrumpy, IPAs and three guest ales. The aim is to showcase London’s beer heritage, with several modern, locally sourced brews adding to the hoppy mix.
Patrick Thomas Design impressed with its stripped-back interiors for Brompton Food Market and has restored the pub to its former glory, with the word ‘gastropub’ banned from any design meetings. Instead, original features have been uncovered, resulting in a cosy, traditional boozer. Expect panelled walls using wood from local churches, unusual light fittings and a towering hourglass sculpture that references the pub’s name.
With the abundance of swish international establishments in South Ken, a proper pub serving high-quality British food is just what’s needed.
This article was published 24 August 2015