A hop, skip and a jump from Maida Vale tube station, the revamped Elgin is a favourite among the varied mix of locals.

The Venue
The Elgin occupies a long, narrow space, with a bar area as you walk in and restaurant above. The decor in the bar is unfussy yet stylish, with exposed brick walls, wooden floors and panels and a muted landscape mural at the back. Not much in the way of comfy seating however, with only a handful of chairs, stools and those annoying leather cubes to perch on. The upstairs restaurant is quite chilled out, with big leafy plants, high ceilings and low lighting.

The Atmosphere
Pretty noisy and hectic at the weekend, although much quieter in the week, the Elgin attracts a random mix of people, with a few scruffy old men tutting over their newspapers at the trendy young locals quaffing Hoegarden and Pinot Grigio. The candlelit tables give it quite a cosy feel by night and the large windows make it light and airy by day, although something really needs to be done about the strange smell that lingers on the staircase to the toilets in the basement – not nice.

The Food
The bar menu offers some good sized snacks, with sandwiches, paninis and juicy burgers served with hand-cut chips, and tasty bits to share over drinks like beef nachos, olives and feta, potato wedges and a cheese board. The restaurant offers a variety of modern British and European fare which was generally well prepared and cooked, but you’d expect it to be after a 45 minute wait on a quiet evening. The asparagus, mushroom and parmesan risotto is deliciously creamy with a delicate mix of flavours, and the homemade chicken and leek pie is rich and hearty served with smooth cheesy mash – great comfort food.

The Drink
A sizable and varied wine list in the restaurant offers 15 options of each white and red from £12.00 - £28.00, two rose and five champagnes. The usual suspect beers are on tap, as well as London Pride and Grolsch, and Budvar, Sol and Leffe by the bottle.

The Last Word
The Elgin is always busy and worth popping in if you’re in the area, don’t expect a seat or a quiet evening at the weekend though.

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