The Black Lion, Kilburn, NW6

This is a stunner. Magnificent pub, totally gorgeous venue. There were four beers on hand pump, my choice was the Thornbridge Lord Marples but I would have snogged Miss Marples if that’s what it took to be here. Other options were Dudda’s Tun cherry cider, Five Points Pale and Diamond Geezer a red ale from the By the Horns Brewing Co. The keg options were absolutely fantastic and nothing on the boring nothingness of other venues this evening. In my opinion this is a must visit venue. The pub also has an Indian food offering so if you walk in through the front doors and thing you have died and gone to heaven then I think you are probably right. So many venues I haven’t posted reviews of on here but if I could magic up that effortless task completion then this would still be in the very stratified area of the very best of pubs. Utterly lovely.

Recently restored and is a CAMRA 3* heritage pub, mainly for the beautiful interior décor (ornate lincrusta ceiling, cornicings, wood panelling, inlaid mirrors, gilded friezes around the walls) rather than the layout which, a small saloon area off-left, has been gutted and opened-out at soe point. On a Sunday early afternoon almost all tables were reserved for Jasper, Phillipa and their Trustafarian friends to have food. Three cask on the go from lesser-known breweries; my Best Bitter by Three Acre Brewery tasted like it was the first one out since the shift the night before (NBSS 2) and my mate’s choice wasn’t much better; we’d have been better off with one of the ciders or craftykeg options. Overall it’s certainly well-worth a visit to see the interior but the cask quality left me underwhelmed. GBG24 listed because of course it is.

Worthy of the CAMRA 3* rating as a pub of national importance,the exterior is fine Victorian with four doors,two marked a saloons then a public bar and private bar,but only a single saloon remains to the left side,the rest has been opened out at some stage.The ornate,plastered ceiling is noteworthy,the rich wood panelling terrific with some great inlaid morrors and an ornate bar and back. Furniture is traditional wooden but nothing unusual,and the pub is very clean and tidy almost antiseptic with an upmarket feel in this downmarket area.For some reason no pub sign on my visit. A real cider and three ales on my trip in Mondo Rider Pale,Track Sanoma and Once Forgotten along with a mix of 9 kegs. Most certainly worth a visit for the heritage and a decent ale line up,best pub in the area by a long chalk.