The Shaston Arms

If you’re wondering what your mates are doing on a Thursday evening, there’s a decent chance they’re at The Shaston Arms. Not literally, of course, but it would certainly seem that way - on our visit, the newly-revived Ganton Street pub has half of Soho huddled in its orbit, gulping pints on the curb and elbowing their way to the bar.

It’s a perfectly formed British boozer - as if plucked straight out of a toy town - painted in telephone box red, emblazoned with cursive signage, and decorated with hanging plants. Weaving our way through the dark, warren-like drinking den, we emerge into the light-filled dining area, a cosy six tables strong.

For all its quintessentially British looks, the kitchen tells a different story. The menu reads like a posh picky tea thrown together by a chef fresh off a backpacking trip: goat’s cheese borek sits alongside tandoori monkfish and pork pie with mustard - plus a specials board of steaks, if you want something heartier.

We find our feet with a sardine and smoked cod’s roe fritter, which is an absolute corker of a bite - order one and you’ll want five more. Less impressive are the oddly delicate onion rings, which are peculiarly topped with beef strips and overpowered by a punchy mix of pickles and capers. Never mind, though: the piri piri skewer is a succulent stack of tender rib cap soaked in silky prawn sauce, enriched with langoustine head and a gentle pop of chilli - you’ll want a side of bread for mopping duties.

A squid and merguez bun-cum-burger is the ultimate pub snack, stuffed with North African merguez - a kofte-style sausage - crispy squid, diced onions, jalapenos, and a flawless burger sauce that brings it all together. For a quick bite and bang for your buck, this is the thing to order.

We continue dancing between dishes - a bite of peach and Asiago salad here, a mouthful of stuffed vine leaves there - with some more memorable than others. Could the menu be chopped in half to focus on the plates that really work? Absolutely. Would it make it less fun? Probably.

Call it glorified ‘girl dinner’, call it pint-soaking snacks; either way, The Shaston Arms is an infectious Soho spot delivering wide-ranging, easy-going fare, with some moments of real excellence - and we can’t blame Londoners for wanting to keep its pavement warm.

Known for its old-school charm and a loyal following that included celebrities such as the Gallagher brothers, much-loved Soho landmark The Shaston Arms returned to prominence in the autumn of 2025, after a bold renovation.

The revival of the Soho pub has been led by Joe Grossman, the founder of Patty & Bun and the current landlord of The Waterman’s Arms in Barnes. The Shaston Arms is his second pub project, following The Waterman’s Arms, further developing his vision of London pub atmosphere with a fresh, modern dining experience.

Focused, seasonal, and unpretentious, the menu offers refined but approachable dishes, complementing the pub’s traditional sensibilities. Dishes at the time of writing include a merguez sausage baguette with frites, red mullet with squid and black rice, duck ragu with pappardelle, and pistachio treacle tart. 

The busy bar remains at the heart of The Shaston, with the space having undergone careful refurbishment. The pub’s iconic Soho character of dark wood panelling and snug corners remains, but with thoughtful updates that make the old boozer feel a little more modern and comfortable. There’s a slick new 35-cover dining room, for example, which provides a space for diners away from the buzz of the bar.

Music and social events are a big part of life at The Shaston Arms, making the pub feel as much like a local, down-to-earth pub, as well as something more modern - somewhere equally suited to a weekday pint, a weekend lunch, or a lively evening with friends.

As the Soho dining scene continues to evolve, the revamping of pubs like The Shaston feels both nostalgic and optimistic for the future of Soho’s pub scene.