The Victoria is a good old fashioned pub in the East End of London, which has undergone a beautiful transformation, but keeping its core of being a traditional boozer. Food is served at The Victoria from midday, and there are always great options on the menu, along with specials and a focus on delicious, sustainable seafood. Heading outside in the warmer months, there is a great pub garden that draws in the sunshine, but has heated booths for when the evening chill hits.
The main menu begins with a selection of Atlantic edge oysters from Pembrokeshire and E5 bakehouse sourdough with butter and Dorset sea salt. After you've had a nibble and spent a moment looking through the menu, choose from a variety of starters, including the diver scallops with cauliflower puree and bacon crumb, the crab rice with claw and samphire, and heritage tomatoes from the Isle of Wight mixed in a panzanella salad. There’s always a good selection of daily landings – just check the specials board.
For your main course, you could try the cod fillet with artichoke puree, clams, samphire and potato gratin for a posh take on fish and chips (although that is on the menu, too). There's a beef cheek ragu served with creamed mash and wild garlic salsa verde, along with confit pork belly served with romesco and green beans. The wild mushroom risotto is topped with plenty of parmesan, and the mussels mariniere comes with bread to mop up what's left. On the side, you can enjoy plates of skinny fries, charred leeks with a thyme crumb and roasted artichoke.
Be sure to enjoy some of the seasonal cocktails, which may include the White Negroni with Plymouth gin, white bitters, dry vermouth, orange and rosemary, or perhaps the alcohol-free Sea Salt and Ginger Spritz with lime, cumin, mint, ginger beer and salt.