The Rose, SE1

Tris C left this review about The Rose

Claiming to have views overlooking the Houses of Parliament – it doesn’t – The Merano Rose Bar to give it its full name, is a late 19th century pub, originally known as the Crown Tavern, handily placed for the Terry Farrell-designed MI6 building and situated along the virtual dual carriageway that is Albert Embankment.
The interior is very twee, with patterned wallpaper, indigo paint and enormous sprays of red and white roses (and carnations, see photo) clashing with some enormous oversized industrial lamps and animal skulls bolted to walls. Customers were mixed – including a child – and may have been drawn from the very modern hotels that have gone up in the immediate vicinity of late; perhaps there were some spies in too, given that the website shows some gentlemen in black tie.
I didn’t find this place to be very gastro, but then I did order my drink at 10.21pm and atop a very cluttered bar, the ale front amounted to just Caledonian Deuchars, swerved in favour of something on keg from Wolfpack which was off, my second choice being an anonymous tap called Sassy Session, which turned out to be a cider at £3.50 a half and sweet as hell; one sip was all it took to have me making for the nearest Tube.
The Windmill is the preferred choice in these parts, the Rose certainly not worth sniffing out.

On 1^st July 2023 - rating: 4
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