The Bull, Highgate, N6

Date of visit - August 2013 On the main road out of Highgate, a shortish stroll down from The Red Lion and Sun, is The Bull. To a certain extent, externally it resembles a private house with its white painted frontage and a set of bow fronted windows either side of a set of large conservatory style double doors. At the front is a largish concrete slabbed terrace with a mixture of chrome and wooden seating The interior features a white painted, lowish ceiling with hops hanging from several beams. It’s a rather unremarkable interior, but with that upmarket modern dining pub feel that one might expect. There’s the usual absence of TV’s, music and fruit machines. Several old undated photos adorning the walls show the pub in olden days as a Highbury Brewery Co pub. The small bar server is on the right hand side. At the back on the left hand side, and not immediately noticeable, is the open kitchen. By the side of the bar, an on site microbrewery is partly visible down a small passageway, but this is not part of the public area of the pub. An upstairs function room available to groups is advertised. Rather naffly, toilets are denoted as “Bulls” and “Cows”. Despite its gastro pub leanings, the pub is clearly trying to attract a wide range of punters and advertised activities include Quiz Night on Mondays and a Knitting Group (!) on Tuesday. Several shelves contain an extensive collection of board games. Inside the front door on a table are a number of large glass bottles containing various sweets on sale for kids. Beer is evidently taken seriously here with Beer Academy Courses based at the pub being prominently advertised, as is the new CAMRA London Pub Walks book poster .By the side of the open kitchen, a large blackboard depicts the various stages in the brewing process. The large beer menu on the tables tells us that the in house microbrewery started production in September 2011. On my August visit, 4 different on site brews were available from the 6 pumps with, notably, no other brewery beers being available on the pumps, although the drinks range is supplemented by an extensive bottled and keg beer selection ( eg – Camden ). This is the pub where, on the face of it, non dining drinkers might often feel not particularly welcome, but, presumably largely because of the existence of the on site microbrewery, this would certainly not appear to be the case here. Probably best avoided at weekends – as suggested by the CAMRA London Pub Walks book- but, at all other times, you should certainly make the effort to call in if the opportunity presents itself. Finally, do take the opportunity to look at the information board on the pavement outside shows the varying architectural styles along North Hill

A food led pub but with its in -house brewery London Brewing.The house beers are very good and they bring out new ones regularly.Good but expensive range of foreign beers as well.Typical Gastro pub layout with more seating for diners than drinkers.Feels comfortable to me so I rate it highly.

Official site of the Bull, contains menus - thebullhighgate.co.uk

Official site of the Bull, contains menus - thebullhighgate.co.uk

After being shut for well over 18 months, The Bull reopened in August as a brewpub and the home of the fledgling London Brewery company and is now under the management of Mr Dan fox, the former manager of the White Horse in Parsons Green. I presume now decorated throughout with bit of a Gastro pub feel with the usual sterile clean interiors, wood flooring throughout the large internal space, half bright white walls and white ceilings and not a lot of wall decor to give the place a great deal of character. But, in saying that, better this guise than the previously boarded up pub, especially as the central bar area has six handpumps dispensing four guests along with the berweries own 'Beer Street' and 'Nervous Energy' brews. The seasonal Dark Star Hylder Blonde and the Beer Street were both good pints, so first impressions were that this is a very good start and one to be watched. I didn't eat, but plenty were and the menu looked extensive allbeit a bit pricey for a normal pub fare. And there is a decent sized secluded outdoor area as well.. Good stuff, another one saved.