The Royal Oak, North Chingford, E4

Visited 09/03/26 Three hand pumps, two providing superbly kept Bass and New River Brewery Fiver Inch Drop tripled hop IPA, the other hand pump unclipped. The keg options were Guinness, Cruz, Hepcat, Madri, 40ft Brewing Sunrise, Jubel peach lager, Pillars Pilsner, Aspall, Moretti and Amstel. This was a surprisingly plush venue and seemingly very much changed from the previous review by Steve of 16.5 years ago. The bar area is bare boarded with the bar counter along the rear wall to the left of the entrance. Some fancy leather studded high-backed stools to the end of the bar counter and some banquettes serving regular tables to the right and left most ends of the outside perimeter, with a few booth tables sandwiched in between. Regular and gorgeous leather chairs filling the floor space between the bar counter and perimeter seating. Lots of original bare brick walls and wood panelling with no screens, ambient lighting, and a superb music soundtrack, someone that put this bar model together seriously knows what they are doing. There is a restaurant area over to the left most end of the bar counter that was out of bounds for me as a drinker. Wasn't expecting such a top-notch end to the first of my evenings reviewing E4 venues. Would be even better with more cask, but finding a venue that delivers superbly kept Bass in Greater London, anything more is dream territory surely?

Royal Oak pages at the McMullens site - www.mcmullens.co.uk

Royal Oak pages at the McMullens site - www.mcmullens.co.uk

Randomness Guide to London - Royal Oak entry