King's Head — Restaurant in London

London is our oyster (card) to explore and find places of merriment. One such place is the King's Head which you'll find on Upper Street. The quirky interior of photo covered walls and inviting easy chairs by the fire should be enough to tempt but it is what lurks in the back room that will keep you coming back. For as you step through the discreet black doors like a trip to Narnia minus the White Witch, an intimate theatre space unfolds in front of you. The doors close and the small assembled crowd takes it seat; emerging smiling and, let’s be fair, a little smug at their shared discovery.

On a site that’s history as a pub dates back to the 1500s, even mentioned within the pages of Samuel Pepys’ diaries, the space has previously been everything from a boxing ring to a pool hall and the photos show many a famous face has graced its stage. However, just because its presence is hidden to the casual passer by shouldn’t mean it remains so, after recently being rebranded as London’s Little Opera House, the theatre currently presents classic opera with new interpretations that have been known to spill out even into the pub itself. We went to see La Boheme, and it was bloody brilliant.

For a full bodied bottle of culture with a chaser of history, look no further. Rumour has it that King Henry VIII, a chap who had a certain reputation for his high standards, used to pop in on the way to visiting his mistress. So please don’t take just our word for it, this one has the royal stamp of approval.

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King's Head Theatre is a local theatre in Islington. It is a charity worth supporting. It is quite small venue with a narrow stage and front rows seem packed a little bit too close to the stage. Still the atmosphere feels very relaxed and cosy. You need to pass through the pub to get to the theatre entrance. "The Nativity Panto - A Not-So Silent Night" is a very funny ( typical English humour with few jokes about politics, economical situation and where the audience traditionally will "boo" at the baddie characters) story . All the lyrics are wonderfully rhymed and 5 actors performing in it have great vocal and acting skills. Eye-catching costumes were carefully designed and I would rate it as age appropriate for over 16s as there are lots of saucy jokes and some strong language. Parody of famous musical hits from different genres was plaited in the plot and live music accompanied the show. The musicians were located on a smallest platform I've ever seen, to the left of the stage when you sit facing it. After the show the lady serving in a pub at first refused water to the children I was with saying "no children are allowed in a pub" but as there was no other bar/cafe/shop inside the theatre, we needed to insist and promised to drink the water in the freezing cold though there was a tempting flame and warmth from the...

After so much gentrification, I naturally seek those old school-style boozers which are quickly disappearing. At the King's Head pub on Upper Street, which is only a few minutes walk from Angel/Highbury & Islington station, I am so happy to have found one.

Even before I stepped inside, the noticed the handsome exterior with its dark marble facade, pillars, and old-style letterings announcing the pub to passersby. Once I stepped inside, I noticed how cosy it was. The inviting bar dominates the centre room, the wooden floor creaks beneath you, and posters of old movies and movie stars adorn the walls. It's a proper old school pub. It may not be for the cool kids on the block, but for me, being quite a traditionalist, I really dig it.

It's more than just a pub. It's a theatre too. And it's perfect for fringe theatre productions which in my opinion are hilarious and just as good as any major West-End productions. This is the perfect stage for budding actors and actresses to showcase what they can do. It's small, but seats fill up pretty quickly.

The King's Head's Theatre pub is really unique and you'd be hard-pressed to think of another pub like it. If you're in the area, pop by for a drink, and see if a show if you can. The pub is perfect for those cold,...