The Coach and Horses has always been highly acclaimed for its gastro fare. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite live up to the heavy weight of expectation thrust upon its shoulders; however, the expansive selection of wine and Scotch whisky make up for any shortcomings in the kitchen.

The Venue
This ambitious gastropub in Clerkenwell lays a few doors away from the Guardian building and is encircled by a few factories and worn out office blocks. Dark wood encases the exterior and the austere right-angled interior follows in a similar mode. The bar area lacks magnetism and its lacklustre decor provides a somewhat dreary setting for a meal.

There is a compact yet pleasant beer garden at the back with picnic tables and parasols, which might be a better option than sitting by the window and looking out on the barren backstreets of Clerkenwell. The dining area is a more warm and elegantly designed room. Of course, the Coach and Horses has one or two of its own minor quirks such as the traditional curtains hanging over the door to the other part of the bar and the medieval-style candlestick holders.

The Atmosphere
As you may expect in one of the Capital’s main business districts, most people who come to the Coach and Horses work in the large offices around Clerkenwell and it is likely their neighbours at the Guardian newspaper might come here for an evening drink. The food is the main appeal of this gastropub so most customers are likely to be dining, but considering the huge choice of wine and whisky available there will be a few visiting just for the booze.

The Food
At £4 there are a range of tapas sized dishes, which are the best part of the menu. The deep smoked flavour of the Serrano ham is offset by the mild sweetness of the figs and works well as a complement to your drink. There is also the chilled almond and garlic soup and samphire and radish salad with lemon vinaigrette. You can have three of the £4 dishes for £10 and as with all the meals on the menu for an extra £2 you can include a drink.

The £6 dishes are slightly larger and include the only staple of pub grub on the menu: the Toulouse sausages with mash and mustard cream. However, the rabbit rillettes with cornichons and the popular Middle Eastern aubergine dish Imam Bayaldi are a disappointment, as the former has a wayward and disjointed flavour requiring the most cultured palate whilst the latter fails to exhibit the essence of its Turkish heritage.

Mains are priced at £8 and include chicken and leek pie and smoked herring with egg mayonnaise and toast. The chorizo, fried duck egg and chips are a popular choice as it sounds like a slightly more sophisticated version of an all day English breakfast. However, the eye watering spiciness of the chorizo sausage slices are in stark contrast with the bland flavours of the egg and chips. Considering there are dishes like marinated anchovies with Manchego and aioli and rollmop herring, beetroot and sour cream, you will be disenchanted when you try the chips. The menu promises so much more than it delivers and were it not for the decent and well priced tapas dishes and the excellent homemade peanut butter ice cream for dessert at £4 each, then there would be little to entice in diners.

The Drink
The best feature of the Coach and Horses is the drink. Wine dates as far back as 1985 and there are some fine selections from all over the world - mostly from France and Italy - but they even do Macedonian and German wine. Given the extensive range of wine, bottles can cost anything from around £13 to £310 and small glasses cost £3.70 onwards.

For those who prefer something slightly stronger there are over twenty different Scotch whiskeys to choose from such as Glenmorangie, Macallan, Black Label, Talisker and the triple malt Monkey Shoulder. There are even some whiskeys as old as 16 years, which cost in excess of £6 per glass, though prices begin around £3.50. Beers are also in abundance and are earnestly priced from £3.10 to £3.40 and include several popular European lagers such as Hoegaarden, Stella, Staropramen, Leffe and Carlsberg as well as some fine British ones like Adnams, London Pride and Timothy Taylor Ale.

The Last Word
Although the food at the Coach and Horses isn’t always up to par, there are redeeming qualities in the tapas, desserts and drink menus.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (3) image gallery (8) venue hire