Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Edgar Wallace, Temple, WC2
WC2
WC2R 3JF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Edgar Wallace
A nifty ale pub, tucked away just off the Strand. There's a really good selection of unusual ales (six one cider - Goddards) served well. There is a house beer – Edgars Pale Ale – brewed by Nethergate. Prices are normal for the area eg £3.50 and there’s a ‘coming soon’ chalk board for beer. There's two floors; comfortable drinking on the bottom floor whilst the upper area is more set for diners. There's no music or TV in here so it can be a bit quiet outside of peak times. A lot of old retro advertising paraphernalia for cigarettes and alcohol are dotted around the walls and a number of retro keg fonts in full working order are at the bar, though I assume they were not dispensing! Talking of the bar, it’s an odd layout with a large pillar in the middle, which divides servings – the ale is to the left and lager to the right; if there’s only one person behind the bar it can be hard to get their attention if you’re standing in the wrong place. Food is offered, with a couple of unusual choices and my eye was caught by the Halloumi. Good practice behind the bar, with Olga knowing to clean the lines between each beer going off; proves it can be done.
All-in-all it’s well-worth seeking out if you like your ale but you might need to bring your own atmosphere at certain times.
On 8th July 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Edgar Wallace
First visit to the Edgar Wallace since the new Gaffer took over early last year. Was a bit concerned that the ale choice and quality may be down on previous experiences, but fortunately I need not have worried and I could find no discernable change and the pub still continues as a top class Real Ale establishment.
Still 8 hand pumps on the go dispensing mainly beers from smaller regional and micro breweries. These included Tirrill Barmans Massive Baubles, Salopian Firkin Freezin, Brewsters Summer down Under, Ascot Brewery Single Hop Summit, Oxfordshire Marshead, Harveys Sussex Best and Dark Star HopHead, most of which our group tried and all pints were well served and in top form, especially the Sussex Best and Hop Head.
And the new landlord is keeping the tradition of adding pub and brewery memorabilia and there is now an impressive Double Diamond lamp as ceiling centre piece in the main bar which he paid £50 for from someone who had it rotting in their back garden and has subsequently been offered over £500 for it.
The Edgar Wallace is a tucked-away off the Strand and if you’re not into real ale then it’s probably not worth seeking out. But if you are, and don’t mind vertical drinking then I concur with the other reviewers that this remains one of the best Real Ale pubs in central London.
On 10th January 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Edgar Wallace
This was the highlight of a recent crawl of some of London's top real ale pubs (which included the Old Fountain, Gunmakers and Harp - so high praise indeed).
The interior is quite basic, with a single, spacious and light room served by a bar split in two by a large pillar. Lagers and ciders are on the left hand side whilst 8 hand pumps dispense ale on the right hand side.
Cotleigh Barn Owl, Brentwood Devil Dyke, Dark Star Hophead, Williams Bros Cock of the Walk (£3.35), Nethergate Edgar IPA (House Beer), Oxfordshire Triple B, Saltaire Kriek and Crouch Vale Brewer's Gold made up an eclectic selection. Double Diamond is also available on draught for retro drinkers. I tried the Williams Bros, which was pretty decent and the Brewer's Gold, which was as close to the perfect pint as I think I have ever managed to get.
Ale is clearly the passion in this pub and a vast swathe of pumps clips spreading out from the bar area attests to this. There are also a number of retro posters of old cigarette adverts, which create a theme of sort for the pub's decor. There are various bits of brewerania behind the bar as well.
A fine pub and one that I will no doubt be returning to on many occasions.
On 9th November 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Edgar Wallace
Square, two storey ale house down small road from The Strand. Nothing spectacular, normal furnishings and has the feel of a coffee house. The glazing is small square frosted panes.
Seems to have a repuation for its real ale and there were a couple of CAMRA groups in discussing OG and the blessings of the place. Very good choice of beer but strangely I found the quality ok rather than out of this world, but judging by other reviews perhaps a one-off.
On 13th October 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Edgar Wallace
This place has no TV or music, but I did spot eight ales all from different breweries and none of the usual suspects. There are some standard and premium lagers for the non ale drinker and my Guinness was spot on.
I found the staff to be pleasant and I would highly recommend this pub to others.
On 8th October 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Edgar Wallace
Another great pub on my "Get off at Temple" crawl. Lots of downstairs seating including a comfortable sofa. There's another room upstairs but I've rarely been up there as it's just seating. It's nice and peaceful in here until about 5:30 when it gets rammed. Lots of people drinking outside on warm days. Seven handpumps serving changing guests on 5 of them with a Crouch Vale beer and Nethergate Edgars Pale as the house beers. Buy pints when in here as the price of 2 halves is quite a bit more than a pint.
On 11th February 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Edgar Wallace
Great line up of 8 real ales, Adnams Bitter, Archers Golden, Elgoods Double Swan,Titanic Anchor, St George Dragons Blood and two from Moorhouse, Black Cat and Blond Witch. The Edgars Pale Ale I believe is from Nethergate and not a special for the pub, unless anyone knows better?? The area above the bar is covered in beer mats from previous guest ales.
Comfortable rectangular room downstairs with a mix of seating including bar stools and a chesterfield sofa. Large plasma TV over the rear door switched off at the time of this visit.
Food looked good and included a "fish butty" which looked like a big chunk of battered haddock/cod in a bun with salad and chips for £6-95.
Very pleasant, beer perfectly kept, fairly quiet of an afternoon but I bet it fills up later. Wish these places opened at weekends.
On 19th May 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about The Edgar Wallace
How on earth has this place escaped the radar for so long? Possibly as its never occurred to me to use ‘Temple' as a location search, but it's on my map now. By far the best choice of beers I have found anywhere near here; yesterday Adnams, Edgar's Pale Ale (by Nethergate), Brewers Gold, Cottage Swordfish, Rebellion Smuggler, Banks&Taylor Shefford bitter, 1648 Hop Pocket, Nethergate Augustinian, and all well kept. Plenty of old pumpclips around the bar – always a good sign of willingness from the pub to provide changing & interesting ales. Food looked good too & if I hadn't been moving on I could easily have been tempted by the day's special of seared swordfish sarnie with pancetta, tartare, salad, & skin-on chips (£8.50), or chicken & chorizo skewers with jalapeno coleslaw from the typed menu (£5). Very friendly guv'nor who chatted about the beers & brewing & suggested reading microbrewers' handbook, Ted Bruning. A real shame that part of the pub's appeal in a ‘hidden' location also contributed to a failed recent attempt to support weekend opening – apparently they'll give it another go in the summer.
On 1st February 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Edgar Wallace
In here last Wednesday lunchtime for a swift one. Pretty simple one-room pub with nothing exceptional about it - except the fact that there were 6 real ales on. I had a Wooden Hand Brewery Cornish ale, which was excellent. Barmaid was very friendly, and service was quick. Definitely worth going back to for the beer alone.
On 10th March 2007
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]