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Detail Pages
The Peasant, EC1
EC1
EC1V 4PH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Peasant
This has an impressive interior space and much has been made of the George & Dragon motifs, full mosaic floor and ornate ceiling; very fine they are indeed, sad though it is that the owners saw fit to change the name in 2001 to The Peasant.
As mentioned, there is also an interesting Truman's parapet to the bar back and a flame effect fire. What's also of interest is the footrest to the bar's perimeter. Typically polished brass, this is a double-barrelled affair with a slightly industrial appearance. This is because it is in fact an early radiator - clever!
A function room-cum-restaurant is upstairs and about half the tables at ground floor - the good ones, near the front window, where you would like to sit - are laid for dining. Furniture is fairly traditional with candles and flowers on the tables; muted music played.
The barmaid was friendly enough and served me with a decent pint of Hammerton's N7 at an increasingly reasonable £4.30.
Certainly worth visiting if in the area and a better bet than the Blacksmith and The Toffeemaker up the road.
On 19th April 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Peasant
It was open this time and was welcome shelter from the Sunday afternoon rain. Being a Sunday it was very much food led with all the tables either taken or reserved. Quite a nice ornate interior as previously described,of interest is the mosaic floor though rather worn and tatty in places. Three ales on, Dark Star Hophead, Crouch Vale Brewers Gold and Hammerton N1 with a Bath Gem clip reversed on the remaining Handpump, the Hophead was in good shape. Probably worth another look, but not Sunday lunchtime, unless you are eating and have booked.
November 2015
Aimed to come here Saturday evening and found the lights on but locked with a sign on the door saying closed for a private function,a wasted walk.
On 9th April 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Peasant
Attractive corner pub with plenty of exterior detailing and plenty of interest inside. The opened-out 'U'-shaped bar benefits from large windows under a high ceiling, but the stand-out feature is a tiled panel showing St George on a horse slaying the dragon. This harks back to the pub's former name, which can be found in the floor by what once have been a second entrance, a depiction in the mosaicked floor by one end of the counter and on the Truman's bar-back. Furniture all suitably traditional, and a mix of decor ranging from Life magazine covers to Sex Pistols posters. Restaurant indicated upstairs. Getting ready for a Christmas closure, so only one of the four handpumps was operational, but the Bath Ales Barnsey was going for a bargain £2.50 / pint.
On 29th December 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Peasant
Quirky interior with original tiled pictures juxtaposed with album posters. 4 real ales and food served.
On 20th March 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Peasant
This pub doesn't seem to have changed much since previous reviewers' visits. Originally the George & Dragon, much of the trademark classic Victorian decor still exists, including a mosaic floor with a centrepiece depicting Saint George slaying the hapless dragon, plus a lovely tiled mural also depicting the eponymous Saint skewering his adversary. With all the George & Dragon stuff around, it's a bit of a shame that it hasn't retained its original name. The design of the mosaic floor also allows us to determine the original multi-room layout of the place. It's furnished with what looks like re-cycled dining room furniture, which goes quite nicely in here it has to be said. Other than the magnificent mural there's not much in the way of wall decor, although there is a rather nice large wood-framed mirror on the back wall. Some music was being played (Bob Dylan among others) at background volume level. It is a bit cavernous, as others have commented, but the Victorians liked to have their corner-site "gin palaces" that way.
On the ale front they had on Bombardier, Crouch Vale Brewer's Gold (their regular ale), and Hackney Brewery New Zealand Pale Ale. I had a half of the latter (£1.95), which was rather a nice ale, and not quite so hoppy as I had expected. I'm sure they must do food, but I didn't see a menu when I was on Wednesday afternoon.
I reckon that this pub's worth a visit. The barman was friendly as well as being knowledgable regarding the victorian features, as well as bit of history regarding the pub's name. The surviving Victorian decor's definitely worth a butcher's, and the ale's pretty good as well.
On 16th January 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Peasant
Rather nice pub.good selection of beers from Hackney,crouchvale and Wells.Busy for a mid week but not cheap for the beer.will return.
On 25th April 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Peasant
Quite a few original features have survived in this Victorian street corner pub,and I agree that the large picture windows and high ceilings do create a cavernous feel to the open plan interior.However the mosaic floor is very fine,the glazed tiling depicting The George and Dragon is attractive,the wooden bar is authentic and there is a vast mirror hanging on one wall.The music posters and the sound system,played at an acceptable volume,give the pub a contemporary feel and the place is popular with the creative types who work in Clerkenwell,so it was lively on my friday evening trip.
To the right of the corner entrance were a few tables set for dining ,the bar is L shaped but you need to walk around to the left to find the four handpumps.Square wooden 4 person tables are placed around the walls but this is a sub optimal seating arrangement,so vertical drinking may have to be endured.Beware that some tables may have reserved signs for people booked to dine in the bar area. There is an unused corridor beyond the stairs to the restaurant where you could seek refuge.
The pub features in the 2012 GBG and on my trip there was Crouch Vale Essex Boys (£3.60 pricey for a 3.8%),Truman Runner no8(brewed by Everards),Cotleigh Buzzard and Wickwar Rite Flanker.When the Buzzard ran out on came Crouch Vale Brewers Gold and we tried all these ales and found them in good nick.You get real ale served in dimple mugs unless you are quick to demand a straight.There are several craft kegged beers such as Meantime London Pale Ale,Camden Wheat Beer,Cristal and Leffe lager along with the usual keg offerings and there is a chalkboard advertising a good selection of bottled beers from around the world.Clearly some effort is being made to have a range of interesting beers,and despite the restaurant upstairs ,this is not a food led gastro pub.
A bit of a shame that with a lot of original George and Dragon insignia around the interior, the pub is now call The Peasant and notices on the wall refer to customers as peasants in a post ironic sort of way.Its really quite trendy,a little pricey but a pub that I would expect to return to in future.
On 25th February 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Peasant
High ceilinged corner pub on a road junction. Yes, it was probably quite grand at one time but it has seen better days with the clock ou the frontage in a por state for example, but praise for keeping features like the mosaic floor and the tiling on the walls although they are a bit 'tired'.
Due to the high ceiling the piped indie music sounds like you're in a concert hall, but its at a comfortable level.
4 real ales including Trumans Runner, though it wasn't kept very well.
On 31st January 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Peasant
The Peasant has plenty of positives that appeal to me but somehow I find it all a bit too open and lacking any intrinsic charm. The interior is spacious but the high dark moulded ceiling and large plain picture windows make it seem a bit cavernous. The real gem of the place is the fantastic mosaic floor, a bit of a rarity these days even if the wording does depict its previous life as the George & Dragon. The music posters give it a bit of an arty edge and there is a decent enough selection of beers (Bombardier, Crouch End Gold and Skinners Betty Stogs). There is an upstairs restaurant which gives the place its gastropub tag although the restauarant and bar are quite separate. All in all, this is a fine place for a couple of beers but I wouldn't specifically choose it for a full session.
On 28th December 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]