Goldhawk Road is not the best place to party in; however, The Stinging Nettle helps locals to get through the working week in style.

The Venue
Adjacent to Goldhawk Road tube is this striking venue that stands out on the street. It is very different from the other pubs along this stretch and, for that reason, attracts a young crowd. It looks almost Victorian from the outside and beckons you to enter.

A large staircase greets you as you walk through the door, leading to a comfortable chill out area complete with a projector screen for film and Wii nights. It is an odd shape for a pub: long and thin with quite a large bar area, and the kitchen is open to view. Above the bar there are four black chandeliers giving the place a gothic vibe. This feeling is continued courtesy of the thick candles lining the windows. The wallpaper is a kitsch dark paisley motif that suits the mood of the pub well. There are a lot of leather sofas carefully placed around the bar.

During the summer, the main draw of the Stinging Nettle is its roof terrace. It is sheltered from the wind and rain and during the colder months it’s heated. Seats up here fill up very quickly but it is available for hire. For smokers there are foldable benches, perfect for resting your weary feet.

The Atmosphere
Being one of the only half decent pubs in the area, the Stinging Nettle gets very full Thursday-Saturday. It also has the advantage of having a late licence until 2am, which attracts a younger party going crowd. However, off-peak the atmosphere takes on a far more quiet, relaxed skew. They keep things interesting during the week with free film screenings, Wii tournaments, quiz nights and comedy nights, ensuring a steady flow of custom. These low priced and often free nights out are of a real benefit to the area.

The Food
The dishes available at the Stinging Nettle are slightly unimaginative, nevertheless they’re good value for money. Starters begin at £4.50 and include such options as soup, potted chicken liver pate with toasted bread, and homemade fishcake on wilted spinach. Mains start at just £5.50 for dishes like the Caesar salad, pie and mash, sausage and mash, fish and chips, club sandwich and linguine primavera.

On Sundays the menu changes slightly and includes more British classics like shepherd’s pie with peas or the ubiquitous Sunday Roast with all the trimmings (£9.95). Traditional English desserts round up the menu. You can chose from Eton mess, warm chocolate fudge brownie, homemade apple and blackberry crumble and sticky toffee pudding all for £4.95.

The Drink
Being a Youngs pub, expect to find Youngs beer on the menu. Other brands include Leffe, Peroni, Fosters, Heineken, Erdinger, Guinness, Amstel, Bombardier, Addlestones and guest ales starting at around the £3 mark.

If wine is your tipple then there is good choice of interesting bottles. For the whites the house is Le Sanglier Grenache Blanc Old Vines 2007 (13.30). For something a little tastier there’s an El Coto Blanco 2007 Rioja for £14.85. The reds are quite similar in quality with TerraMater Zinfandel Shiraz Vineyard Reserve 2007 for £14.50. Alternatively, the Alta Vista Premium Malbec 2007 for £17.50 is a quality bottle that’s worth the extra few quid. If you want a bit of sparkle in your life then the Champagne menu is good. The Cockburn and Campbell Champagne Special Cuvee for £5.95 a glass and £31.95 a bottle is a feature in most modern Youngs establishments and it’s actually really delicious. For those concerned with labels, don’t fret, there’s a Taittinger Rose for £45.

The Last Word
If you live in the area then the Stinging Nettle is a great alternative night out. Their free film nights and regular entertainment has kept it a firm favourite with the locals.

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