This buzzing local is a reliable bolthole for Holland Park’s cashed-up residents, although you won’t need a banker’s salary to afford to drink here.

The Venue
The Castle is located on Holland Park Avenue, just yards from Holland Park tube station. Once inside, you’ll find a large central bar, a big open seating area in the front room, and a more intimate and cosy second room with tables at the back. Despite its location on such a busy road, inside it feels like a little backstreet pub with a warm interior that includes lots of red velvet, fashionable patterned wallpaper, dominant chandeliers, and reclaimed wooden tables. The overall effect is pretty bohemian, but given the W11 locale it’s done with polish and an eye on current trends. There aren’t quite enough tables when the pub is busy in the evening, but that’s simply the price of this pub’s enduring popularity.

The Atmosphere
Stopping in to The Castle for a drink is a pleasurable experience simply because of its friendly and close-knit vibe. Various changes in management over the years hasn’t altered the fact that this is a pub for locals, which means you’ll spot everyone from wealthy celebrities who live in the area, flashy bankers ordering champagne by the bucketload, and even eccentric artists from nearby Notting Hill. The inside space is fairly limited, so you’re almost bound to get talking to other customers at the bar or the next table, and everyone is friendly and keen to engage in conversation. Many of the staff have worked here for years and spend their time chatting over a drink with regulars, which can feel a touch cliquey on your first visit, but that’s true of any pub that’s genuinely focused on local trade. Overall, the flickering candles, boho vibe and friendly staff and customers combine to make The Castle more than welcoming.

The Food
The Castle makes regular changes to the menu, even though most of its customers don’t come in to eat. Those who haven’t sampled the food are missing out on well-executed and tasty fare, with everything from tempting bar snacks (calamari, nachos and the crab cakes are all well worth the under-£5 prices) to classic main courses such as fish pie, bangers and mash, or Sunday roasts. The main courses are priced from around £6 to £10, which represents something of a bargain in this postcode. It’s worth booking a table if you want to eat here in the evening, as the place fills up quickly (particularly at weekends).

The Drink
Both beer and wine drinkers are well catered for at The Castle. There are always at least half a dozen beers on tap, including local and international brews, and bottled favourites on offer such as Hoegaarden and Leffe Blond, as well as frequently-changing speciality beers from boutique breweries. The wine list is pretty lengthy for a small pub, with prices for bottles from about £12. There are also regular wine-tasting and discounted evenings too, which you’ll see advertised on blackboards throughout the bar. Drinks are well-priced for the W11 locale, so even the wealthiest Holland Park residents can conserve cash here.

The Last Word
It’s sometimes difficult to find pubs in this part of London that haven’t been turned into trendy gastro-ventures for travelling foodies to invade. The Castle avoids that by focusing on just what their loyal local customers want.

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