A classic boozer with a neat little bar.

The Venue
The Porcupine looks like the plethora of other traditional pubs in the West End, following the strict interior and exterior design rules of their Machiavellian breweries. The darkness of the facade is improved with touches of burgundy that add needed flecks of colour, but once inside the ample-sized pub, everything is too samey and some inventive sprucing up wouldn’t go amiss.

Apart from the comfortable looking leather armchairs, the bar area is left alone to try to dilate the pupils with its tarty provincial look and the dusty old shelves, flowery watercolours and intricate mirror successfully do the job, making it the only place to cast your gaze. Well, that is unless you like the rather contrived sea of posters for musicals and plays that adorn the walls, alongside black and white photographs of stage productions and actors from classic movies. As a side note, the pub’s aesthetic mediocrity doesn’t detract from the comfort here, just ambivalently accompanies it.

The Atmosphere
Located next door to Leicester Square tube, you can already make a guess at the types of visitor the needles of The Porcupine might snag. As well as the tourists and theatregoers of the area (who all seem to ask about the ‘authentic’ dishes on the menu), there is a small collective of ageing drinkers. They commandeer the outside seating and aside from their suits, shirts and ties, you could almost transfer the scene to a continental plaza. Almost. The staff are young and on point with service and overall the ambiance keeps up a balanced hum of satisfaction from the ground floor up to the dining room and theatre bar.

The Food
Good, solid square meals are exactly what you need after a trek around Leicester Square and here that’s what you’ll get. The Porcupine serves the pre-theatre crowd with their must-have fish and chips. The dining room accommodates overflow from the bar and serves from the same menu that includes dishes like steak and chips, priced at around £7 each.

The Drink
The depth of the wine list is better than most and the prices are up with the average for the area. Most are available by the glass or bottle. The picturesque shelves are grounded by bottles of commercial branded spirits and a range of bottled beers are stocked in the fridges below. On draught, the choice is between Heineken, Stella and Fosters and a choice of ales including London Pride, Timothy Taylor and Wainwright.

The Last Word
The Porcupine is a tidy little pub with a few interesting features, although it’s unlikely that it will ever be more than just a nice place to drink.

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