The George Fitzrovia

There’s no shortage of excellent pubs in London, from proper old-school boozers to polished gastropubs with high-end menus. The George sits comfortably between the two. Occupying an 18th-century building on Great Portland Street, it retains all the warmth and familiarity of your classic local, but with stellar menus and just enough refinement to make it a dining destination in its own right.

Downstairs, the space is clad in dark wood, with drinkers gathered around pints, and a pub quiz in full swing. We don't know how many players are on a rugby union team, and we're mercifully whisked away before we have to answer. The upstairs dining room is something else entirely, complete with glossy forest-green walls, intricate crown moulding and plush olive banquettes that sit beneath towering sash windows. There’s plenty of historic touches too, from the white-marble fireplace and vintage rugs that give the room a chic living room vibe.

The menu offers no-nonsense pub grub, though there are plenty of elevated touches and a quiet confidence that comes from a kitchen that has nailed the basics. A Scotch egg arrives with a beautifully jammy yolk, flecks of black pudding running through the sausage filling that adds a welcome salinity, the shell impossibly crisp and golden. It's easy to see why this has become a signature.

A prawn toast is a must order, though push any thoughts of deep-fried Chinese fodder from your mind. A charred sourdough base is topped with the sweet shellfish and a kohlrabi slaw, finished with a wafer-thin slice of guanciale and a fresh squeeze of lemon. Mains cover all the classics, and tonight we opt for the pork chop, with beautifully rendered fat and a gentle char. It arrives with a peppercorn sauce that’s bold and buttery, carrying an almost Marmite-like depth of umami.

A meal at The George wouldn’t be complete without its signature Irish coffee, but when it’s 35 degrees in London, only one thing will do - the frozen version. It’s indulgently boozy, a blended concoction that’s packed full of whiskey, coffee liqueur and topped with whipped cream and hefty sprinkle of nutmeg.

Whether you’re settling in for a pint downstairs, or making an evening of it upstairs, The George is exactly what you want from a great London pub, with its welcoming feel and confident cookery.

The George is an 18th century, Grade II listed pub in the heart of Fitzrovia from the Ardent Pub Group (the team behind some of London's favourite pubs, including The Hound in Chiswick and The Cadogan Arms in Chelsea). The George is an ideal spot for all-day dining and after-work drinks, offering traditional pub grub and one of the best Sunday roasts in the capital.

Having been restored to its former glory, the pub is split across two floors. On the ground floor, guests enter to traditional wooden interiors, designed to honour the pub's long history as a proper British pub, with a striking mahogany bar and dark green leather seating. Here diners can order cask ales, craft beers, seasonal cocktails and tapped wines alongside a considerable whisky collection that nods to the pub’s historical patrons, including Dylan Thomas and Brendan Behan. The compact cocktail list spans a selection of classics and signatures, with highlights including a Sticky Toffee Old Fashioned and a Rhubarb Collins.

The upstairs rooms are particularly distinct: the rich red leather of the Gluepot, then olive green banquettes and vintage rugs in the main dining room, and the long banqueting table in the private dining room. 

The menu riffs on traditional pub grub, with a hefty range of snacks available to go with your pint. On the menu at the time of writing you'll find classics like prawn toast, black pudding scotch egg, and beer-battered fish. There's a bit of international flair to the menu as well though, as evidenced by dishes like cauliflower and onion bhajis and red curry pork scratchings, but The George still offers chops and steaks from the grill as well as a comforting British pub menu.