It is unusual to see such an untouched authentic pub in London, but The Marquess Tavern prides itself on its traditional values.

The Venue
Situated in the beautifully leafy Canonbury is this Victorian style pub. The old-fashioned wooden bar is the focal point of the venue, which is divided into two areas: the main bar and a quaint dining room towards the back. Charmingly, this pub was taken over by local residents in October 2008 who decided they wanted to make their mark on the venue without drastically altering the essence of what made it so popular originally, which works in their favour.

There are many places where you can sit with friends and enjoy an attractive mix of old and new furniture - worn tables alongside new polished ones. The Marquess Tavern has a cosy warmth with flickering candles placed on the tables and many little corners for patrons to sit in. What is particularly noteworthy is how the pub has retained its traditional interior as opposed to so many other gastro pubs that lean uncomfortably towards modernisation. It’s the classic look that makes this place a truly special find.

The Atmosphere
As it's not in an obvious location, the vast majority of people that come here are locals who have been supporting the pub for many years. You won’t see the typical partygoers that you tend to get on Essex Road and Upper Street, patrons here are far more sophisticated, wishing for quality and holding on to their high standards. There’s a lot of camaraderie, which lends itself to a friendly atmosphere, which is precisely what The Marquess Tavern aims to achieve. The staff here are very professional and efficient and have kept to the same standards they are known for.

The Food
Since the new local owners took over, changes have been made to the menu, concentrating on high class British dishes. Here they pride themselves on providing customers with seasonal, locally sourced food.

Starters include: scallops, air dried mutton, peas and beetroot juice (£8); cured venison, beetroot remolade and redcurrants (£6), which are soft and bursting full of flavour; and smoked eel, ruby chard and horseradish oil (£5.50). Mains consist of: whole sea bass, wild rocket, ratte potatoes and crayfish butter (£12.50); pigeon, apple, walnut, and black pudding salad (£12); or the best comfort food of all, Herdwick lamb neck and turnip pie, which has big chunks of lamb in it submerged in light gravy, coupled with a crispy topping making it a indulgent treat.

They also offer a Sunday Roast here with a variety of dishes to choose from. There is the traditional rare roast sirloin of galloway beef and yorkshire pudding (£17.50), roast free range chicken and bread sauce (£12), middlewhite pork chop, celeriac mash, crackling and apple sauce (£14), and the not so traditional grouse, bread sauce, game chips, kale and bacon (£31). Desserts have a classic feel to them with orange syllabub with oatcakes, chocolate pudding with cream (£5.50), grilled figs with black pepper and raspberry sauce (£5.50), plum and pear crumble with cinnamon ice cream (£5) and a British cheese plate with wafers (£6).

The Drink
There’s a selection of Young's beer and ale on tap alongside lagers including Carling - the cheapest at £3.10 - Heineken, Guinness, Deuchars IPA, Amstel, Peroni, Coopers and Erdinger for £4.10. If bottles of beer are more your thing then The Marquess Tavern has many to offer you from around the world, starting at £2.30 a bottle.

However, given its comprehensive menu, the drink menu is concentrated around good quality old world wines such as a Tramontane Sauvignon Blanc Maurel Vedeau 2007 for just £14 a bottle, and Meursault, Domaine Michelot 2004 Burgundy (£45). The reds have Vin de Pays des Cotes de Thongue (£14.50 a bottle) and a Chateau Neuf-du-Pape Domaine Font de Michele 2005 Rhone (£38.60).

Sparkling bottles start at £32 a bottle. If wine isn’t your tipple then the fifty malt whiskeys on offer start at £3.80 for a single and £7.20 for a double. Unusually, they even stock a single malt from Wales, which is rare as there are only two Welsh distilleries.

The Last Word
A truly traditional gastro pub, The Marquess Tavern hasn’t succumbed to the pressures of conformity so prevalent in this type of venue. Having locals run it means there's a wonderful ambience that helps it to stand out from the crowd.

View®  Card offers venue information venue map view london review user reviews (20) image gallery (4)