If you want a drink in a trendy Soho pub but don’t fancy having your outfit scrutinised the minute you walk in the door, then this is worth a visit. The Endurance is a laid back pub with just the right mix of trendy decor and old boozer charm.

The Venue
Tucked discreetly away down Berwick Street, slap bang in the middle of Soho, you’d be forgiven for galloping past this pub’s simple '70s brown exterior. Berwick Street teams with market stalls Monday to Saturday, and it’s easy to miss the large windows and nondescript gold lettering of The Endurance, especially when you’re being distracted by old-school Cockney geezers bellowing about their fruit and veg. However, step inside and you’ll be instantly soothed by the simple wooden floors and dark panelling.

The black and gold flock wallpaper and gilt-papered ceiling lend a jazzy finish, whilst mounted fox heads gaze down from up high and large Art Deco-style hanging lights cast a gentle glow. Long black leather banquettes ring the edges of the room along with no-fuss wooden chairs and tables, leaving the Prohibition-style oval bar the focal point at the centre of the room. Behind the bar, shelves display a decent selection of bottled spirits. A jukebox to the left of the bar houses some great tunes but is used more often as a drink rest when the place gets busy.

Through a side-door to the right of the bar you’ll find the popular outdoor drinking area. During cooler months this simply amounts to a relatively wide passage between the pub and the back of Yauatcha restaurant next door. In the summer, however, you can take your drink out to a small, astro-turfed area to the rear where the picnic tables and buzzy atmosphere distract from the rather industrial setting.

The Atmosphere
This being Soho, the pub has a real media following - it’s a long-established favourite of the local publishing, film and TV crowds whose offices throng the district. However, don’t let that put you off if you’re not in the industry, this is one friendly pub. A wall of chatter hits you as you walk in on any evening, and you quickly realise that, refreshingly, people here are more focused on catching up over a drink than checking each other out. It can be a battle to get noticed at the bar in busier hours but once you’ve caught their attention the staff are quick, efficient and smiley.

If you want to take your drink outdoors make sure you request a plastic cup or you’ll be herded back inside by a polite but firm doorman. The Endurance has managed to side-step the too-cool attitude of other popular Soho establishments and has a genuine pub feel. No television on site means no sport screenings; instead a blend of indie music from everyone from the Kings of Leon to Blondie provides the background to a very enjoyable drink.

The Food
Before 5pm you can chow down on typical pub grub from hearty sausage and mash to butternut squash risotto, all at decent prices. However, you’ll be paying for it with a rather long wait, it’s the one area where service is pretty slow.

The Drink
The rule at The Endurance is that anything goes – apart from cocktails. In true boozer fashion, there’s a great selection of draught lager including Amstel, Kronenbourg, Heineken and San Miguel, with Bulmers for the cider-lovers and London Pride holding up the side for ale. There’s almost every premium spirit you care to mention and a good range of wine, with staff happy to make suggestions if you’re feeling a bit stuck.

The Last Word
Relaxed and fun with a friendly media crowd, this pub is a Soho institution. It seems appropriate that a boozer with such enduring popularity is called The Endurance.

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