A Victorian pub in the heart of Shoreditch, the Barley Mow serves up a wide selection of beers and a friendly atmosphere.

The Venue
Situated in the middle of Curtain Road, the Barley Mow is right in the heart of Shoreditch and yet still maintains the feel of a friendly local pub. The interior of this Victorian pub has a 1940’s feel, with a wooden-panelled bar and wooden pews for plonking down on. There’s a jukebox in one corner offering an eclectic mix of retro tunes which keeps the pub lively. The bar is quite small and can get quite packed, but there is more seating upstairs, where you’ll find a lounge without music for those who are more interested in conversation than the jukebox selection.

The Atmosphere
This is Shoreditch, so expect a young and trendy crowd, but the Barley Mow manages to avoid any of the pretension of venues nearby and maintains a friendly and relaxed vibe. The bar gets very busy at the weekend, with drinkers spilling out onto the street. On days when it’s a little less busy, you can hire chess sets from behind the bar.

The Food
The menu is succinct, with a selection of meals to provide sustenance to drinkers rather than offering any fancy food. There is a selection of Pie Minister pies for £7.95, including beef and chorizo which is generously filled with large chunks of beef and a rich gravy; the butternut squash and goat’s cheese is equally tasty. Pies are served with gravy and a very small portion of minted mushy peas. Chips are extra, and are served in very small portions considering their £3 price tag. For those who are simply staving-off hunger, there is also a selection of sandwiches for £5.95, or toasties for £2.95.

The Drink
There is a huge selection of drinks, with over 20 beers to choose from. Rothaus (£4.60 a pint) is a smooth German wheat beer and is far less gassy than many wheat beers. Palm (£4.40 a pint) has the rich flavour that you would expect from a Belgian beer, but the lower abv of 5.4% allows you to enjoy a few more before delirium kicks in. There are also classics such as Honeydew (£4.50) and Guinness (£3.65). For lager lovers, there is the crisp and dry Litovel (£3.65). Ciders include Magners (£4.45), Aspall (£4.70) and St Helier (£4.40).

The Last Word
The Barley Mow is a great little pub with a fantastic range of drinks and if the food was enhanced, it could be even better.

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