With a glorious beer garden, Dorset ales and great-value meals, the Monkey Puzzle is a paragon of a quality Paddington pub.

The Venue
The Monkey Puzzle is situated midway between Edgware Road and Paddington Station, and its crowning glory is a garden fronting on to Sussex Gardens. This is planted with eye-appealing South American monkey puzzle trees and other attractive ornamental shrubs. Comfortable benches and picnic tables make it an enjoyable place for an outdoors drink and smokers also find this ban-free area a great pull. The interior is a functional 60s building but it is pleasantly furnished with plentiful chairs and tables. It comprises of one long room with a single bar and a distinct raised dining area at the rear.

The Atmosphere
Despite being in a busy commuter area, the Monkey Puzzle has the ‘feel’ of a local. There are many core regulars from the neighbouring terraces and apartment blocks – the Hyde Park Residents’ Association holds its Christmas party here. Supplementing these are many groups who meet - the Broken Drummers (a Terry Pratchett appreciation society), the Orlando Choral Society and archery and ju-jitsu clubs to name but a few. Nearby Imperial College students inject a youthful element too.

Visitors are also prevalent. Paddington is honeycombed with budget and middle-range hotels and they are evident at the Monkey Puzzle. Provincial contract lads working in London favour it, as do many tourists, families especially, who find the pub good value and friendly. A warm welcome is given by amiable Irish host, Gary Griffin and his long-serving and helpful staff.

The Food
The Monkey Puzzle scores highly for food. It has a full-time chef and this is evident in the provenance and quality of the meals. The theme is British – baked whitebait, Biggles of Marylebone Cumberland sausage and mash, battered cod, pies, lamb shank and – for veggies – a winter vegetable and herbed dumpling hotpot. Cold platters such as a fish selection and cured meats are also popular. Desserts include a traditional sticky toffee pudding and custard. Prices are exceptional for such quality. Starters are all below £4.50 and the mains are only £8.50-£11.50.

The Drink
The Monkey Puzzle is one of the six Hall and Woodhouse houses in London. So Dorset-brewed Badger and Tanglefoot bitters are a main feature. The range of lagers includes Bavarian Hofbrauhaus which German visitors particularly appreciate. The wine list to accompany the meals is good choice. Among the reds there’s chianti classico and rioja; the whites have a chenin blanc. Prosecco is a favoured bubbly.

The Last Word
Few central London pubs generate the familiar sense of a local that the Monkey Puzzle does. It’s no wonder so many visitors comment on how it matches their expectations of a great British pub.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (8)