A surprisingly curious find; this piece of Art Nouveau pub history just across from Blackfriars tube station offers authentic decor and real character.

The Venue
Built in 1873 and re-modelled later to showcase an impressive illustration of the building’s origin as the site of a former Dominican friary, this pub’s crafty interior is well worth a closer look over a pint of London Pride.

Adorning the walls of the unusually curved main hall and the arched second room are scenes from the lives of the merry monks, work of the architect H Fuller Clark and sculptor Henry Poole. It is no wonder the locals made a public stance to save the Black Friar from demolition in the sixties, since it is evident how much enthusiasm and devotion went into designing the wide marble-top bar, the remarkable mosaics on the high ceilings, as well as the bronze bas-reliefs and metal plaques all around. There are plenty of well distributed seats inside the saloon, cosier vaulted tables in the smaller room, and for the warmer summer times there is an outside area with a view of Blackfriars Bridge.

The Atmosphere
The feel of the Black Friar is heavily swayed depending on the time and day of the week – the eclectic mix of its clientele comprises rushed City workers in for a quick drink on their way home at peak hours, relaxed locals enjoying the food during the day, and even the odd tourist looking for a place to rest.

The friendly bar staff are helpful and quick when taking and delivering orders and there is plenty of space along the curved bar to grab one of them at any time. However, the difficulty for the diverse visitor groups to mingle and the lack of good background music to set the mood prevents punters from sticking around for too long; the nearby tube station also suggests everyone is on their way to somewhere else, which steals some of the overall pleasant atmosphere.

The Food
Now under the award winning Nicholson’s name, associated with good quality pub meals, the Black Friar offers a wide selection of traditional British dishes any time of the day.

The menu features favourite classic mains such as sausage and mash, fish and chips and matured rump steak. The one thing definitely worth trying is their pie house specialty – meat pie, which comes in many different varieties, served with mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy on the side.

The Drink
Standard if not very broad selection of lagers and ales are reasonably priced and nicely served. A popular destination on pub crawls stopping off at Blackfriars tube station, the bar is well equipped to cater for those on the lookout for traditional real ales. The wine menu includes the typical for Nicholson’s pubs reds, whites and rose.

The Last Word
The uniquely ornamented interior and its good location are undeniably the main draws of the popular Black Friar, and most of the time it succeeds to compensate for the occasional lack of atmosphere.

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