Trying to stand out from the crowd is tricky in Islington. Luckily, the Wenlock and Essex is a beautiful space and it has a great attitude meaning that people who come in for a pint or two will undoubtedly want to tempt others along, too.

The Venue
You will find this quirky new boozer just a short walk up Essex Road, near Angel tube station. Entering through a wooden revolving door, the immediate impression is of a bar that is really quite special. It's a large venue, one that can accommodate a fair amount of people, and there are big wooden tables, to match the rickety wooden floor, with crimson leather booths along the walls. Old-fashioned black and white portraits and brilliantly kitsch wallpaper adorn the walls. The bar is huge and striking and the whole venue is lit with numerous red bulbs, lending a burlesque or cabaret feel that only increases if you make your way through to ‘Satan’s Circus’, a weekend-only club area complete with neon strippers on the wall, an illuminated dance floor and an air of general debauchery.

Futher design idiosyncrycies can be found when you venture downstairs to the bathroom, where you should keep an eye out for the rather hungry looking taxidermy gator and a curious ouija board.

The Atmosphere
Islington is a party town and the Wenlock and Essex embraces this full-heartedly. A mix of locals and office workers fill the venue and, come the weekend, as with most bars in the area, it is packed to the rafters.

The Food
The Wenlock and Essex have got down their food down to a tee. Recognising that there are a lot of places serving food in the area, they have a special Workers Lunch Menu, which is a steal at £5.50 for a selection of four dishes and a half pint.

The menu consists of small dishes and sandwiches and larger plates. The former includes salt and pepper squid (£6), fish finger sandwich (£5.50) and the uncommon Dockside Pinchos (£7.50) which includes delicious roll mops (pickled herring) along with various other seafood delicacies.

For the larger plates, especially if you are a fan of pie and game, head for the venison pie with mash (£9). The tender venison falls apart and its sweet and tangy gravy make it an exceedingly comforting dish. Fans of fishcakes (£9) are in for a treat as well. The fish is delicious and the thick mustard cream sauce it is served with provides a lovely foil. It’s served with courgettes, green beans and peas, so you’re well on your way to your 5-a-day. All portions are pleasingly enormous.

If you can fit in dessert after all that there is a homemade selection, all at £4.50.

The Drink
Many bars serve the same old beers which can be tiresome; the Wenlock and Essex however have links to a local microbrewery, the Camden Town Brewery, enabling them to offer three bespoke beers/ales. In addition they offer a selection of interesting domestic and foreign beers, by bottle or draft, ranging from £3.30 up to £4.50 for the more exotic ones. The cocktail list contains the usual classics, though some with a twist, all at £7. The wine list is small, but as you have so many drinks to choose from, this isn't an issue. House is £14.75 a bottle and £4.30 for a 175ml glass.

The Last Word
The Wenlock and Essex has reams of fantastic drinks, a reassuring home-cooked feel to its generously proportioned food and a striking layout that caters for both boozy afternoons and late night partying. Definitely worth a visit.

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