The Windsor Castle N2 — Restaurant in London

🚇 East Finchley 🍺 £6.20 Cruzcampo

The Windsor Castle is tucked away in a quiet cul-de-sac in East Finchley, North London. The nearest Tube is East Finchley.

This pub began life as a bakehouse, became a brewhouse around 1800, and was later transformed into a licensed pub.

Singer-songwriter George Michael was born just around the corner on Church Lane.

This is a cosy, one-bar pub that is traditionally decorated with a calming village pub feel. The servery is located at the back left and features a contemporary back bar. The pub offers three distinct seating areas, each with the feel of an intimate snug. The decor includes a boarded floor, green panelled and painted walls, comfy banquette seating, and traditional tables and chairs. Lining the walls are historic local photos, a photo of George Michael, and a series of black-and-white photos of local shopkeepers—which is a nice touch. At the rear, there’s a sun-trap patio beer garden complete with parasols.

The beer selection is a line up of familiar keg favourites and one cask ale. I decided on a Cruzcampo, my pint was excellent, price point was a smidge above average. The food menu is classic British pub grub, fish and chips costs £17.80, hearty roasts are available on a Sunday.

I arrived just after 4 p.m. on a sunny Friday afternoon in July. The pub was quiet inside, with a calm and laid-back atmosphere, while the beer garden was packed and had a nice, upbeat buzz about it. The service was first-class; I received a warm welcome from the friendly team member on duty. I had an insightful chat with the owners, who took over the pub two and a half years ago. They have clearly put their heart and soul into transforming it into a friendly and welcoming community hub.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to The Windsor Castle, especially the friendly, local pub feel of the place. The beer was on point, the surroundings were comfortable, and there’s a passionate team at the helm, so you’ll be well looked after. This pub is a must-visit if you’re in the area.

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📅 18th July 2025

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Stumbled across this gem while searching for a last-minute Sunday lunch and couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised. I'm not local to the area, so I can’t compare it to nearby options—but this must surely be one of the standout spots for food and drink.

The pub itself has a charming, residential, very local feel—no frills, just a warm, welcoming atmosphere. That said, the quality of the food, service, and drinks is absolutely on par with what you'd expect from a high-end gastropub.

We ordered three individual roasts—pork, chicken, and beef—and all were excellent. It’s one thing to serve a decent roast (most people are used to their mum’s), but it’s another to genuinely elevate it. This did. The vegetables were fresh, vibrant, and perfectly cooked. The pork, in particular, was sensational—juicy, full of flavour, and cooked to perfection.

The wine selection was also fantastic, and service throughout was spot-on—attentive and friendly without being overbearing. We were served by the owner, who was both charming and genuinely engaging, which added a lovely personal touch to the whole experience.

In short, this is a clean, simple setting with a relaxed vibe that focuses on getting the essentials right: great food, quality drinks, and excellent service. It’s a welcome reminder of just how good a truly independent, locally owned...

My and my friend attended this pub on Saturday the 7th of December 2024, we were welcomed by a bartender who SEEMED lively, chatty and nice. She asked us what we wanted to drink we replied with two beers, out of curiosity, politeness and chattiness I asked the bar tender where she was from. She then replied saying ' I find that a very personal question'. I thought she was of the impression I asked her where she lived therefore I replied saying ' No..no I meant what nationality are you' which she rudely replied by saying ' IF YOU DID NOT HEAR ME THE FIRST TIME, I SAID THAT QUESTION IS VERY PERSONAL' followed by some more rude comments, I was stunned, I was left speechless, I'm not sure if she was the owner/manager or just a bartender but she needs to understand you cannot speak to customers like. When someone asks me what country I am from I always proudly respond with my country of heritage as I am extremely proud of where I am from.

Me and my friend quickly left after this as we felt unsettled. A bit of advise to anyone thinking of going, do not ask the bartender her ethnicity as you will be met with a very rude...