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The Kings Stores, E1

14 Widegate Street
E1
E1 7HP
Phone: 02072474089

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Pub Type

Metropolitan Pub Co (Greene King)
Page: 1 2

Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about Kings Stores

There's not much to add to the review below. The important thing about this pub is that Greene King have transferred it to its "Real Pubs" subsidiary, resulting in a wider range of ales being avilable. This is obviously a good thing for real ale drinkers, but one does wonder what motivates a large brewer like this one to go down this road.

The pub itself is a largely characterless, but functional affair. There are better pubs nearby, but they're not so good when you can't get in them for the crowds. This one met our needs the other evening, and I thought the Truman Runner was in top notch condition. It's a handy bolt hole from the throngs around nearby Liverpool Street.

On 28th January 2013 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Malden man left this review about Kings Stores

I think this pub has probably had a makeover since the previous reviews, as the lighting is now subdued, the beer range has changed and there is a definite leaning towards food. The ground floor has an open U-shaped layout around what I believe to be an old party wall between once separate buildings. The rear area looked more suited to dining with smaller tables with candles lit but not exclusively so whereas the varied seating to the front with high tables in the windows as well as standard issue felt more "bar-like". Wooden flooring, some exposed brickwork and a plethora of chalkboards listing this and that. There are a few B&W prints around, a TV was switched off despite Man Utd v Fulham taking place and some indeterminate music was playing competing with the loud noise of conversation in a mainly hard surfaced environment.
Service was good and friendly with the barmaid offering tasters to our group as a couple of us dithered in our selections, there has been a move away from exclusively GK beers with Trumans Runner, Trumans No8, GK St Edmunds Ale and Twickenham Summer Down Under on offer with Wadworths Horizon reverse clipped. Numerous clips in four or five rows behind the bar are testimony to a good rotation policy with some interesting beers having passed through.
There is a restaurant upstairs which was holding a private function, menus listed around and curiously also in the toilets suggested that this is not a two for £7 type place with such pub staples as Iberian Charcuterie Selection (£16) and Medallion of Rabbit with Smoked Paprika Risotto (£16.50) included. The roast baby chicken comes stuffed with black pudding. It is posh food at posh prices and the extensive wine list competes for attention with one Australian red demanding £73. Don't spill it then!
I found the place ok for a pint, I would probably baulk at the food prices regardless of quality but we ended up in here after our Brick Lane curry as other pubs we had planned were too rammed for comfort at 7:30 on Saturday.

On 27th January 2013 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about Kings Stores

I thought that this pub was a little disappointing as it is rather bland and not what one would expect to find down an old London backstreet. Three of the four hand pumps were off leaving only Old Speckled Hen alongside the standard draught selection, Leffe and Peroni. Food is served all day and there is a function room upstairs that is available for hire. I spotted no Sky Sports Advertisements, but there is a projector screen in the front bar area and a plasma screen on the wall by the bar. There is also some more seating at the rear of the pub past the ladies and gents.

There are far better pubs in this area.

On 19th July 2010 - rating: 4
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve of N21 left this review about Kings Stores

The Kings Stores is tucked behind Bishopsgate at the end of Widegate Street in the small back streets on the way to Spitalfields. It takes its name from being situated on the location of a munitions storage depot for the English armies during the reign of Henry VIII. The present building is from 1902 with a decent looking Victorian exterior but inside has succumbed to a GK modern makeover with wooden flooring and seating and brightly painted walls and lighting. It’s a corner pub with an open area downstairs and a function room upstairs. Gets packed and very noisy when busy with city workers and quiet outside of these times.
Has only ever had GK IPA and Abbot on during my visits and I usually only stay for one as the Williams round the corner has the same beers in a much more traditional setting than the fairly bland bright interior of the Kings Stores.

On 10th March 2010 - rating: 5
[User has posted 2094 recommendations about 1985 pubs]

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