The Cavendish, Marylebone, W1

One room with bar to the left. No hand pumps and the keg taps were hard to read. Clearly a pub for illiterates. Upstairs dining room.

Renamed the Cavendish in 2014, this was originally the Duke of York and undoubtedly improved for having at one time being owned by Samuel Smith’s. Minus the aforementioned table service, this is really more of a made-over brasserie/bistro rather than pub with the all-fashionable square section tubular steel bar back, some bare brick walls and otherwise contemporary paint hues. There’s a herringbone parquet floor, fairly conventional furniture and dining upstairs. ‘Bathrooms’ are downstairs – no they aren’t as a bathroom requires the presence of a bath; no bath, no bathroom; muted music played and I didn’t spot a TV. The place has a cigar selection, where a single Cohiba Siglo IV costs a very reasonable £27.60, minus the fine for smoking it indoors of course. Ales? None. Just a large array of anonymous chrome founts. I asked for a half of lager and I’ve no idea what I got – there isn’t even a drinks menu on the wall. The bill for my half of fizz arrived on a silver platter with a demand for £2.75 which I guess is the cheapest ‘house’ lager. Nope, I won’t be returning.

Official site of The Cavendish - www.35newcavendish.co.uk

Official site of The Cavendish - www.35newcavendish.co.uk