The Blackfriar — Restaurant in London

Date: 18th October 2024 Cost: £30pp

After a morning team planning meeting at which I subjected the others to a lot of brainstorming of abstract and conceptual corporate principles and approaches only very tenuously related to their actual jobs in a windowless underground bunker, it was only fair that we rewarded ourselves with some decent food in a less taxing and more natural environment: the pub. James had suggested the Blackfriar, a short walk from where we’d been strategising on Fleet Street, and a quick glance at the menu resulted in unanimous approval.

The website gave the impression that this was a pub that took its food seriously, confirmed upon arrival when we were shown into a cosy diners-only room. The walls were covered in bas-relief depictions of monks doing monk things and mosaiced inscriptions of phrases like “haste is slow”, “wisdom is rare” and “seize occasion” (it’s grade II listed), but we’d all had enough of that kind of claptrap by then and so it was discussions about underground road networks in Los Angeles open only to celebrities instead as we waited for our food.

I had eschewed the club sandwich as too boring given the other options, but when Celine’s arrived, built up using an entire loaf of bread, I was pretty jealous. The first bite of my burger quickly put paid to that though - and before you protest, it had a hash brown in it, elevating it to non-boring status. It was two patties of quality beef dripping in the sort of cheese sauce that tastes and feels like melted actual cheese rather than some liquified form straight out of a squirty bottle, and the company of colleagues nearly induced a first-ever cutting in half. Let’s just say my napkin earned its crust.

Grace couldn’t really not order a pie given her constant singing of Sweeney Todd songs throughout the day and was further baited by the steak & ale winning gold at the British Pie Awards. She was tempted last-minute however by the idea of being one of the first to try their brand new chicken & mushroom, a mistake in hindsight - fine, but lacking the creaminess promised and the thyme crust of the alternative it wasn’t going to be winning any of its own prizes. Hannah and James both went for the ‘garlic-smothered’ schnitzel, although James immediately de-smothered his, raising eyebrows in consternation. Both also gave me slight food envy; both disappeared to rave reviews.

Consensus: really decent proper pub food in a lovely setting - not cheap, but where is these days? Stick it on...

🚇Blackfriars 🍺 £8.30 Budvar

The Blackfriar is located close to Fleet Street and the River Thames, in the City of London. The nearest Tube station is Blackfriars, just across the road.

The name ‘Blackfriar’ comes from the Dominican friars who established a priory in the area in the 13th century. Their monastery was dissolved during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII.

This Grade II listed pub dates back to 1875 and was remodelled in 1905 which gives it much of its character today. In the 1960s, it was nearly demolished, but a campaign led by figures such as Sir John Betjeman helped preserve it.

This one-bar pub is laid out in an L-shape around the servery. The decor is unlike that of any other pub in London—truly unique. You’ll find intricate mosaics, detailed woodwork, bronze reliefs of jovial monks, and stained glass; everywhere you look, there’s something to catch the eye. To the left of the servery is an intimate dining area called the Grotto, featuring a beautiful barrel-vaulted ceiling. Along the side of the pub, there are plenty of tables and chairs where you can enjoy a drink in the sun.

This Nicholson’s pub has a good selection of keg beers and a range of cask ales, including Bass, which seems to be becoming more common in London pubs. I decided on a Budvar—my pint hit the spot, but it was so expensive at over £8! Come on, guys! The food menu features classic British pub grub; fish and chips costs £19.50.

I arrived around 6:30 p.m. on a warm early Saturday evening in May. The pub was busy both inside and out, with a broad range of punters. There was a lovely, upbeat atmosphere and a nice buzz about the place. The service was fantastic—the team on duty were very welcoming, friendly, and even posed for a photo.

The @blackfriarpub is one of London’s most architecturally striking and visually distinctive pubs. I have visited this pub a number of times of the years and have always enjoyed my time here. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, architecture aficionado, or simply looking for a unique pub experience, this is a must visit London pub.

📅 17th May 2025

If you want to see all my pub reviews in one place, head to @londonpubmap on...

EDIT: Following a complaint about their poor cut and paste apology they responded, with a more personal approach. Firstly they agreed they just copied and pasted an apology and made the excuse that they use the same apology to keep things consistent ! What? So no matter how serious the complaint you will just get an impersonal copied and pasted reply! Pathetic! They then went on to say how the alcoholic and non-alcoholic bottles look similar and that's why they made the serious mistake. What total rubbish. How dare they blame the bottle. Did they say; 'it is clear the bartender made a serious error by not checking he was actually providing you with the correct order. This is a very serious matter indeed and can understand an error like this could actually prove fatal if someone had a serious allergy. Rest assured we will take further measures to ensure this does never happen again'. Nope, nothing like that whatsoever. Just made excuses for themselves as if they couldn't care less. Under the circumstances they are lucky I am not seeking legal advice. Their apology angered me even more. END EDIT.

I am writing this following their reply regarding a very serious complaint I had to make. Their reply was nothing more than a copy and pasted template which quite frankly is insulting. I don’t drink alcohol having nearly died from doing so about 2.5 years ago. I requested an alcohol free beer, I was very specific and was subsequently handed an open bottle of Perroni it was as told - 0%. I took it and joined friends outside. I don’t drink the 0% very often but always pleased with how similar it is to ones with alcohol so I didn’t notice until I had guzzled half the bottle that it was not 0%. Too late by now and felt impact of the alcohol. I immediately returned the bottle and although it was exchanged I did not receive adequate apologies. I made a formal complaint about this serious matter that could have had a very serious impact on my health and I got a pathetic reply via email. I was ill later in the evening. Can you imagine such a pathetic response to having anaphylactic shock from wrongly served food there?!...