1 Covent Garden Piazza,
Covent Garden,
WC2E 8HB
0872 148 4047
The ViewLondon Review
Cove is a gem of a pub hidden away in the heart of Covent Garden: hard to believe, but it is not a tourist trap like many others in the area!The VenueCove is an intimate, albeit crowded, pub above the West Cornish Pasty Company. You access it via the stairs in the pasty shop and the two are indeed business siblings: the outdoor patio, sitting right on the main square, has offerings from both. The busy patio area, furnished with basic but functional wooden chairs and metal tables, is crowded all year with tourists. However, upstairs during the winter is a space for Londoners. There’s an all-wood, olde day environment with wooden ceilings and modern accents like low stools and tables. The added bonus is the small balcony overlooking the Market; however, this is always pumping and it’s nigh-on impossible to find a seat.
The AtmosphereHere, you are in for a bit of London life: people coming out of work walk in for a relaxed pint in an unfussy environment. The feeling of comfort the pub provides, together with the selection of beers, attracts the crowd of regulars and Cove is an unpretentious place open to all (even if the bar staff is not overly friendly).
The DrinkUsual suspects aside, Cove becomes interesting when its Cornish nature comes out: Cornish ales and mead wines and ciders are the main attraction, with Tribute St Austell, Skinners Cornish Wheat Beer, and Scrumpy Jack on offer. Prices for one of these rare beers are not low in the £3 to £4 range. Spirits, some of which also ail from the West, are served from small barrels with taps fitted in the back wall of the bar, but are also expensive.
The FoodThe grub is provided by the shop on the ground level but you will have to do the stairs to get yourself a Cornish pasty to munch on. The selection of fillings is extensive and caters to the taste of any pasty lover: alongside the traditional ones, they have a selection of savoury and sweet fillings, all priced between £3 and £4. If pasties are not your thing, there are still some pasta dishes and salads to choose from.
The Last WordA small, nice, cozy pub nestled in the heart of Covent Garden, it is a miracle Cove avoids being constantly infested with tourists: get up there to enjoy a London landmark and some Cornish air without the usual crowd of foreigners.
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