The Albion is a long-time staple of Islington, a historic, gastro pub with stylishly rustic interiors and a legendary beer garden, which is packed to the imaginary rafters all summer long. Walk in, and guests are first greeted by a large, handsome, polished wooden bar with smaller seating dotted around, perfect for a casual drink.
For a seated meal, diners are usually shown to the rear end of the space, where artfully distrssed walls and shabby-chic wall panelling, rub up alongside mis-matched antique chairs, while white tapered candle illuminate tables large and small.
The a la carte menu is impressively large and features a delicious-sounding selection of seasonal, ingredient-led and quite experimental dishes, many of which nod to current foodie trends. To start, why not order a few things for the table? We like the novelty of the black pudding scotch egg with curried mayonnaise, as well as the equally indulgent sticky pig cheek with beer braised shallot, rarebit and watercress. Fancy something fresher? The whipped homemade ricotta with honey, artichoke and linseed cracker sounds lovely, too.
For mains, you could get stuck into Gloucester Old Spot pork belly with Yorkshire forced rhubarb and pistachio roast swede, or perhaps the Kombu roast cod loin with sauce bouillabaisse, mussels and saffron emulsion. You also surely can't go wrong with sharing dishes like the Suffolk chicken and mustard pie with beef fat pastry, Granny’s mash and buttered cabbages. But, if you're looking for something veggie, the tenderstem broccoli risotto with goat’s curd, jerusalem artichoke and truffle sounds suitably mouth-watering.
Desserts sound like absolute fun; take the Earl Grey custard tart with Yorkshire forced rhubarb, for example, or the playful banana, miso and peanut butter ice cream sandwich. There's also a selection of dessert wines, classic and seasonal cocktails, like a rhubarb and orange Bellini.