If a home cooked meal in relaxed surroundings is what you desire from your local, then the North Pole definitely provides.

The Venue
The North Pole is handily situated equidistant between three tube stations: White City, Latimer Road and Ladbroke Grove. It doesn’t look like anything special from the exterior, but inside it’s a different story. The whole interior is wooden with a very warming homely feel. The bar is the first thing you see and it immediately draws you in. On the side of the bar is an old-style wooden wine rack that adds character. On the other side there is a pile of board games that come out in force on boozy evenings and Sunday afternoons.

Looking around the pub you’ll notice many places to sit comfortably either for food or a few drinks after work. Near the bar is a table, which is full of leaflets and newspapers for people to read whilst sipping their drinks. By some tables there are little boxes of heather, which look wonderfully quaint, mixing well with the mood of the venue. On the wall near the kitchen is a painted map of the Arctic Circle and there are also pictures of expeditions to the North Pole.

The Atmosphere
The vibe at the North Pole is laid back. Dogs and children are welcome as it’s more a pub to enjoy good food than a typical boozer. The clientele is a blend of locals, regulars and people who have heard of its creditable reputation. This place has soul and great staff who are keen to keep up its status.

The Food
The food served at the North Pole is prepared on the premises and cooked to order, using quality ingredients. They even offer gluten free options, which is a nice touch. Lunchtimes are busy, especially on Fridays, so make sure you get there early.

Starters begin at £4.25 for the homemade soup of the day, there’s also pear, walnut and stilton salad (£4.95) and garlic linguine with crispy bacon bits, chorizo and mint (£4.95). If you want something more substantial then there are the Favourites, which include wild mushroom and goat’s cheese lasagna with garlic ciabatta and salad (£6.50), old spot pork and leek sausages, chive mash, onion jam and red wine gravy (£8.95) or rigatoni pasta in a red pepper pesto with courgettes and wild mushrooms (£7.95). They also do a range of burgers, including the Classic Pole burger, Cajun spiced chicken breast burger, minted lamb burger and the vegetarian soya burger, all at £8.25 and served with chips, homemade relish and coleslaw.

However, the North Pole is best known for their excellent Sunday lunches and they are great value at only £10 a pop or £5 for kids (who get free ice cream if they clean their plates). The choices include roast topside of Scottish Galloway beef, which is served medium-rare with a gorgeous pink colour; roast leg of Romney Marsh lamb; or roast free-range Devonshire red chicken, which you’ll need a hefty appetite for as you’ll get half a lsucculent chicken to yourself. Served with all the trimmings of butter drenched vegetables, crispy rosemary and garlic potatoes and lashings of thick gravy, it is presented to you on a board and you can pick what you want. They don’t scrimp on anything; the only complaint is they possibly give you too much, but that can’t be a bad thing.

The Drink
There is a good range of beer here, starting at £3 for Fosters and £3.95 for Peroni. Other brands available include Twickenham Original, Timothy Taylor, London Pride, guest ales, Guinness, Kronenbourg Cold, Becks Vier, Staropramen, Strongbow and Heineken.

For wine, they interestingly stock an English label Chapel Down, which you don’t see at many bars and pubs. It is of a very good quality and is available in a white for £13 a bottle, which is a bargain. Another good white is the 2006 Cavallinia Pinot Grigio for 17.50. If you’re after a wine to remind you of summer then try the fruity Stella Rosado for £14. The house red is a St Isideoro de Pegoes for 13 but for something that’s just a bit special then the 2007 Rioja Reserva is a good purchase. Sparkles consist of Prosecco di Conegliano for £4.50 a glass and £21 a bottle and a Moutard Pinot Noir Extra Dry (£36). They don’t carry big labels for their wines and include ones that are not as widely known but still good quality.

The Last Word
Food at the North Pole is absolutely exceptional and shouldn’t be missed. The comfortable surroundings and great attitude will make you come back time and again.

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