On the wrong side of Baker Street is Claudio Pulze’s new establishment, which cannot decide whether it’s a gastropub, wine bar or restaurant.

The Venue
A short walk from Baker Street Tube you will find The Beehive, easy spied thanks to the office workers crawling all over it. From the front it looks quite welcoming, with some benches and umbrellas right outside for the smokers and those who enjoy a drink outdoors, but the inside is not as welcoming.

The rectangular space appears small and uncomfortable and the position of the bar is awful, being right near the toilets and meaning at busier times it’s very difficult to get past the bar to use the facilities. There are big wooden tables and long seats that line the borders of the bar. For more intimate settings there are tables ideal for two and if you’re lucky you might get the rocking chair. The decor screams gastropub and the demeanor is more relaxed than upmarket dining.

The Atmosphere
Seeing as it is basically a posh pub, expect to see the moneyed pouring in through the doors. The Beehive has a stale, almost unfriendly vibe, lacking in any coherent sort of atmosphere. On Thursdays and Fridays the place is full to the brim, and it gets like this early on, so the best time to visit and to secure a table is the weekends when the local workers aren't around for the post-5.30pm rush.

The Food
As to be expected, the food is of a very high standard. For the nibbles and snacks you can have dishes like garlic prawns (£4.95), organic eggs benedict (£7.50), or Galloway steak sandwich with wedges and bearnaise sauce (£7.50).

Mains are just as delicious with chicken bois boudran with fries (£9.50), seared tuna steak with nicoise salad (£11.95), mountain of garlic prawns, salad and fries (£17.95) or Cambrian Native Breed beef, which serves 2-3 people for £36. Desserts include a selection of cheese (£6.50) and the dessert of the day £4.50. All dishes served at The Beehive are of the utmost quality and it is clear that people come here to dine rather than booze heavily.

The Drink
The selection on offer at The Beehive is quite exquisite and there’s not your normal run of mill alcohol here. There are wines of the month that start at £4.70 for 175ml, £6.50 for 250ml and £20.50 a bottle, which is treated as the house wine. For the whites there is the 2006 Chassagne–Montrachet for £51 and for the reds try the 2005 St Joseph les Pierres Seches for £45. The bubbly is superb too, with a 1999 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Brut and 2000 Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rose both at £80, and a 1999 Dom Perignon for £120.

Interestingly, there are no typical draught beers like Stella and Carling, there are guest ales and beers instead, which is a refreshing change from the norm. Pints start at £3 and there are bottled beers on offer such as Erdinger, St Helier and Castle.

The Last Word
If you want to have a good feed and fine wines then The Beehive is the place to go to, if however you just want a swift pint then you may want to head along to somewhere more chilled.

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