This achingly quaint-looking place is on many a tourist’s must-visit list as an example of a typical English pub and has even appeared in “places to see before you die” books, but what does it have to offer the Londoner or the true pub connoisseur?

The Venue
Tourists will certainly hone their London navigation skills in finding the Grenadier: it’s tucked away down a narrow, picturesque mews hidden among the grand terraces of northern Belgravia, only a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace gardens and Hyde Park. The narrowness and the traffic barriers suggest privacy and some may wonder if they’re allowed to venture further but this is a public street, so keep going and you’ll find a modestly sized and elegant white building dating from around 1830, raised from street level by a few steps and guarded by its own bright red sentry box.

The interior space is also modest, and decked out in traditional style with wooden furniture and panelling, Guards’ memorabilia, dangling knickknacks and a rare pewter bar top. Two rear rooms, one on each side of the square bar, are now reserved mainly for diners – both have ceilings papered with an international collection of bank notes donated by guests. A few outdoor benches and plenty of standing space on this quiet mews provide overspill in fine weather. The place is now managed as part of the Spirit pubco’s Taylor Walker chain of traditionally themed pubs, and they’ve wisely resisted the urge to tinker with the decor. There are a few traditional events, including an annual march past by the Guards and visiting carol singers at Christmas.

The Atmosphere
Originally the pub was built to serve guardsmen from a nearby barracks and servants and artisans working for rich local households. These days it attracts a rather different crowd, including descendants of the original customers’ employers who no doubt appreciate the pub’s slightly rustic feel. But these days the scent of old money has been somewhat displaced by the tourist pound. On a recent visit, most of the customers appeared to be American or French, clearly guided here in search of a traditional British pub experience. And that is very much what you get, even if it’s starting to feel rather stage managed, and increasingly remote from the rapidly changing reality of London’s drinking scene. Staff are friendly and polite, the place looks gorgeous, but an authentic atmosphere is somehow lacking.

The Food
The pub offers classic, fresh cooked pub grub – but at an obvious premium that underlines the suggestion of a tourist trap. Fish and chips or chicken and ham pie will set you back £13.75. Other choices include salmon with cheese mash (£14.75), cheese and pea risotto (£10.75), meat grills (up to £22.95), salads (£10.75) or burgers (around £10, including a veggie option).

The Drink
Bloody Mary cocktails are a longstanding speciality of the house, using a recipe allegedly developed 40 years ago. Besides these you’ll find a range of not especially unusual real ales – Fuller’s London Pride, Timothy Taylor Landlord, Wells & Young’s Bombardier and a guest that might be Woodfordes Wherry or something from St Austell – kept to reasonable standards in accordance with the pub’s Cask Marque accreditation. The wine list has around 25 choices, many from the New World (from £4.25 a glass).

The Last Word
Picking just one must-visit pub for London is a tall order, but there are several others with better claims than the Grenadier, and most of them will leave you less out of pocket. Still, it remains a classic London pub, and anyone interested in pub culture in the capital should poke their heads around the door at least once in their lives.

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