Islington’s Latest Gastropub: Hops and Glory
If you’re looking for fine dining in the Islington area, you could do a lot worse than popping into Gastro pub Hops and Glory in Essex Road.
A combination of modern laid back dining and a traditional pub environment, the décor is reminiscent of old English boozers from yesteryear. Grand designs, high ceilings, and an intimate dining area make this venue feel like a such a special gem that you’ll wonder why you haven’t stumbled across it before.
One of the first things we noticed upon arrival was the open plan kitchen, which made the pub feel fast paced and full of life. As we walked in, we got an exceptionally warm and welcoming greeting as we were led to our table. The main menu consists of a selection of carefully selected small plates and mains. As we perused the menu, we found there were so many delicious choices we couldn’t make our minds up. So we decided to try a selection of small plates which included: devilled lamb belly, seared beef fillet and baby gem, new Season Asparagus and kim–chi mayo, montgomery cheddar welsh rarebit, dressed baby gem, triple cooked chips and cornish mussels with bacon and cider.
All the food was first class, the particularly stand out dishes were the Montgomery cheddar welsh rarebit (so much more than cheese on toast!), the devilled lamb belly (devilishly divine!), and the perfectly seasoned baby gem salad (a gem indeed!). The Cornish mussels with bacon and cider hit every spot as we devoured our meals. It was evident all ingredients had been hand picked, and all the food was packed with unique flavours.
The staff were also some of the best I’ve encountered in London, their happy demeanor made our visit an extra special experience, and they were happy to help and assist in any way possible. Friendly and knowledgeable, they knew the menu inside out and were happy to take us through each dish, telling us what made it so special, and pointing out their favourites. Serving a daily changing menu, the pub uses local European produce, and serves succulent meat dishes, fish plates, vegetarian options and an array of tempting sides.
If you are a fan of ale, their homegrown Hops and Glory Pale Ale is delicious, and produced very locally (just under the pub in their very own brewery basement!) They also have an excellent selection of wines to choose from.
- Hops & Glory hosts special events such as food pairing evenings and private tastings regularly, all of which are listed on their website www.hopsandglory.co.uk.
