Prospect of Whitby — Attraction in London

We took our friend here today, hoping to have a Sunday roast. I have an onion allergy and when I enquired about onions in the roast I was told that onions are an integral part of all the roast options.

I was disappointed but then asked about whether the burger could be made without onions. The server told me yes, without checking, and I asked him to confirm that I onions weren’t put into the patty, stating that onions are often in things you don’t expect. I also explained that although it wouldn’t kill me, onions make me extremely ill. The server checked with the kitchen and confirmed there were no onions in the burger.

I was served my food along with two of the 4 meals, leaving one of our party to wait. I put a chip in my mouth, with some of the accompanying sauce and tasted onion. I then opened the burger bun to see that there were slices of onion also in the burger.

I took the meal back to the bar, showed them the multiple onions and was told another burger would be made.

The food took ages to arrive, so all my friends had finished eating. Before it arrived I went back to the bar and asked for a refund, which was given by another server who apologized and said that I had been very clear of my allergy.

I went back to my table and the burger had been delivered, with an allergen flag in it. The bun for the burger was burnt black all around the edges. I didn’t even chance trying anything on the plate as I was too annoyed.

My friends had also ordered pigs in blankets, as extras to go with their roasts, all portions arrived with black bacon and almost black sausages. It also turned out that onion was not at all an integral part of their roast and was only in the gravy, which they served on the side. How hard is it to make an onion free gravy, so I could have enjoyed a roast I had come for? Answer, not hard at all, I make delicious onion free gravy all the time.

A lady came to apologize and offer us free drinks or dessert, she was extremely polite and apologized many times, but by that point I did not want to stay any longer and to be honest the whole experience was a huge disappointment.

I appreciate the apology and the attempts to make it better, but I would not recommend the food here, even for those without an allergy. How do you burn pigs in blankets that badly, when Sunday roast should be a staple?

Sorry, but you need a massive relook at your menu, and those who are preparing the food. Burnt items are carcinogenic, which can lead to cancer. Also, to have a massive sign about how you can accommodate for all types of allergens and to then serve me food which now has me unwell and regretting ever coming to your establishment is a massive problem.

Don’t just talk about allergens and then ignore the impact it has on the persons health.

I was refunded for my portions of the food, but now have to figure out what I am having for dinner, by myself, a complete waste of why we came out to eat in the first place.

Such the opposite experience from what we had at The Grapes just a few weeks ago, where the food was delicious and the...

Simply a superb olde English public house. ³One of, if not the oldest on the river. The Prospect of Whitby

One of London's most famous pubs, and supposedly our city's oldest riverside inn. With a pedigree stretching back to 1520, it was already getting on a bit when Shakespeare first came to town. You'll fall in love with the pewter-topped bar and creaky wooden interior, all rebuilt following a fire in Victorian times and a further refit in the 1950s, though some of the flagstones are reckoned to be 500 years old.

Previously answering to the name of The Pelican and later The Devil's Tavern, the current name comes from a collier vessel that was once moored round the back. Previous satisfied drinkers include Princess Margaret, JMW Turner, Samuel Pepys and, inevitably, Charles Dickens.

The pub plays into the area's history of piracy, with a much-photographed noose dangling round the back. The traditional punishment of hanging over the Thames for three tides.

The history

EST: 1520.Monarch: Henry Vlll .

The Prospect of Whitby was once a hotbed of cut-throats, pirates and felons. In fact, so dastardly was its clientele that it became known to the locals as The Devil’s Tavern. The publican shrewdly left this name off the signage, however, forcing anyone arranging to meet there to describe it as “the pub near the Prospect of Whitby” – the name of a ship moored nearby. And the name The Prospect of Whitby claims to be close to the site of Execution Dock where many a pirate was hanged. There is even a replica scaffold outside

The Prospect also claims to have been a favourite with the notorious Hanging Judge Jeffreys, just like the Town of Ramsgate. The 17th century judge executed hundreds of people.

Over the next few centuries the Prospect served ale to a miture of celebrities including Judy Garland, Paul Newman, Princess Margaret, Richard Burton, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Frank Sinatra and Charles Dickens. It held cock-fights and bear-knuckle fights.

Having re visited this establishment, at low tide the experience of being able to wander down Pelican Steps and onto the for Shaw of the river Thames mud larking or even just sitting or laying in the Sun. Mind the tide !. I found a massive iron rudder sticking out of the sand !. On entering the Prospect of Whitby you cannot miss the history as you are taken back to the 1500 s. The choice drinks have changed, with a lovely I.P.A. from Green King. The look at low tide, gives a different aspect on the Outlook from the decking area. I was very happy to have had the chance to visit this classic public house once again. The menu has been enlarged, offering some more exotic dishes. Small plates are available and to purchase. A few small plates to either share or just keep make sense. Again it is impossible to forget the history and age of this fantastic Olde Public house. A visit...

It was here the phrase was coined 'four stars, must visit'. In short, a must-visit pub - though perhaps you must only visit once. Allegedly the oldest (extant) riverside inn in London - so that presumably excludes pubs that weren't also inns and also any canalside inns. In any event, this place oozes history and a rustic charm - particularly in the landing atop the stairs to the first floor, where a plaque warns you of ghosts and other apparitions, though mostly it is just a warning about Katrina & The Waves, who filmed their 'Walking on Sunshine' music video along Wapping Wall - their spirits are said to still linger that cold, misty street, ready to incessantly sing and dance that chorus and follow you into the bathroom when you just want a quiet pint to think things over after a hard day's work. The history of the place is something you live and breath - or was it the damp? (just kidding) Like Rupert Murdoch, just because something is old doesn't mean it is any good. The lineup of tap beers was very upsetting, most of which were miscellaneous Greene King varieties and, although there were a few cask ales, these were also from faceless breweries and presumably also Greene King. One of the cask ales had a sign on it that read 'What is cask ale?' with a helpful explanation for those who don't have more hair in their ears than on their head. So, I broke the ice by asking for one pint of their most lukewarm 'What Is Cask Ale', please. The barmaid was not particularly impressed with my quip and seemed impatient, as if there actually was someone behind me waiting to be served - perhaps one of those apparitions. This was the very moment I knew I was in the stalls for a 4-star experience. However, to park up on the outside terrace, or at a window seat indoors, to watch that wild Thames flow, a millennia of secrets bobbing along with the strewn chip packets, is a must-do London experience - though try and keep the random hangman's noose out of your peripheral vision. Frequenters of more chic, inner-city pubs such as The Devonshire would argue it needs a renovation, but those who prefer their local pub thoroughly yuppie-less and un-TikToked would say the Prospect of Whitby is perfect the way it is. With a little sharpening around the edges, this pub could be in the pantheon of Great London Pubs, but until then it remains to muck in the mire of the hundreds-strong...