58-60 Goodge Street,
Fitzrovia,
London,
W1T 4ND
(020) 7209 4105
The ViewLondon Review
A hybrid pub and coffee shop. Who’d have thought?
The Venue
Located on Goodge Street, it’s important to make it clear from the outset that the One Tun really isn’t a coffee shop. What it is, in reality, is an old pub that seems to have been touched by the hand of a coffee shop designing wizard transferred to the pub department of ‘Interiors Are Us’.
The large pub has a long bar that runs down its centre, providing a symmetrical layout that sees diner-style booths running to its left and right. In addition to these are a few more brazenly scattered tables including some alfresco appointments and a few bar stools. The decor is simple and inoffensive and to top things off, the carpet comes straight out of a coffee shop with its lazy swirls without so much as a hint of the ubiquitous floral pattern found in pubs across the capital. Despite the design confusion, however, the pub remains fairly traditional and comfortable. A large screen for sporting events brings it firmly back to reality.
The Atmosphere
The One Tun is a good bet for sport - its booths create individual blitzes of life that are gathered into one vast atmospheric cloud, which drizzles its jovial spoils over the pub. On top of this, for entertainment there is a quiz night that takes place on Tuesdays. You can expect to find all manner of people here along with a bunch of locals, and with friendly staff things are always kept cordial.
The Food
The chalkboard outside reads ‘Good quality British food at the One Tun’ and inside it doesn’t fail to deliver on the promise. The menu has a list of pub-friendly dishes plus a daily specials board. In this case, it is the Cumberland sausage and mash with homemade onion gravy that will make you feel special.
The Drink
Being a Young's pub there is a range of good ales from the cask. As well as the usual spirits and good selection of wine there is a choice of Twinings Iced Teas (just in case you’re forgetting the coffee shop thread) that come in a variety of flavours. On draught there is Heineken, Kronenbourg, Fosters and Stella.
The Last Word
The One Tun’s facade glows red with its passion for sport and the diner-meets-pub decor is a good change from the dark wood and brass of most of its peers.