Never has the term ‘appearances can be deceiving’ ever rung more true. The Princess of Wales may appear to be just another run of the mill pub, but venture inside and you’ll discover all sorts of hidden depths.

The Venue
Conveniently situated near Charing Cross and Embankment train stations, the Princess of Wales is not the stereotypical traditional London pub that you might expect at first glance.

As you enter, you’ll find stools and tables to your left opposite a long bar with banquette style seating at the back of the rectangular area. The inside is pretty uninspiring although there’s an attempt at some interior design with added feature walls with a toile pattern. Does it work? Maybe not, but you probably aren’t here for the decor. Added to this you might see your reflection in several of the brewery mirrors dotted around the place. Upstairs is a fully air-conditioned restaurant offering a table service if you prefer formal dining.

The Atmosphere
There is a nice, friendly atmosphere at the Princess of Wales with easy listening background music. The ever popular plasma screen is also in situ for sporting events. This pub is frequented by tourists as it is close to restaurants, theatres and Covent Garden but commuters shouldn’t rule it out, the prices are reasonable and it’s a good pit stop before you trudge home after a hard day’s work.

The Food
To line your stomach there is a varied food menu at the Princess of Wales. Lunch is served from 12pm-5pm, with the usual pub grub and some decent vegetarian alternatives on offer. Dinner is available from 5pm-10pm with dishes like rump of lamb or brie and cherry tomato tart on the menu.

There’s also a section dedicated to sausages - try pork and cheddar, Scottish venison, juniper berry and gin, or steak and black pepper, all served with buttery mash and red onion gravy for £6.95. To garnish these dishes there is a range of award winning chutneys either to sample with your meal or to take home for £3.50. Cider and horseradish mustard or Suffolk real ale chutney are a popular choice.

The Drink
There is an impressive list of beers, with some old favourites but also several foreign choices like Leffe and Fruli. There is also a good selection on draught, including Peroni, Kronenberg Blank and Becks Vier. For ale aficionados, you won’t be left out either, expect to see Timothy Taylor Landlord, Youngs, Wells Bombardier or Marstons Pedigree to name just a few.

The wine list is extensive, offering a large range of quality wines at competitive prices. You can purchase an Australian Chardonnay for only £7.95 a bottle or £2.65 a glass. If you prefer a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc it will set you back £12.50 a bottle or £3.45 a glass. Or for a nice red, try a Shiraz for £9.50 a bottle, £2.80 a glass or a Wolf Blass Grenache at £13.50 a bottle or £3.65 a glass. There are also some sparkling roses on offer or a bottle of Verve Cliquot Yellow Label Champagne for £35.00.

Not to be outdone by its trendier counterparts, the Princess of Wales has a very modern twist on the non-alcoholic menu, offering not only the obvious choices of soft drinks, but also a mouthwatering selection like raspberry and orange bite, elderflower sparkling water or Fentimans ginger beer. If you fancy a drink with some alcohol to add to one of your five fruit and veg a day, you could order a raspberry gin fizz at £3.50 a glass or £9.50 a pitcher. To continue this impressive list, there are premium spirits on offer - Talisker or Laphroaig malt whiskey, or Hendricks gin with rose petals and cucumber and Juniper Green organic gin, which is also gluten free.

The Last Word
The Princess of Wales, is not what you might initially expect from pub that strikes you as being run of the mill at first. It has a very impressive bar list and a food menu that gets your mouth watering, all at very reasonable prices. A place not to be underestimated.

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