CHELSEA BISTRO
Pig's Ear Pub and Restaurant
 

London is awash with OTT gastropubs where the staff is unfriendly and the food is flamboyant, flambéed and served with a jus de je ne sais pas. So for a little light relief, head to The Pig’s Ear in Chelsea for a comfortingly old-school pub atmosphere, cheery bar staff and good bold food. It’s not exactly bangers and mash, but it’s not laced with airs and graces either.

You’ll find a big jug of Bloody Mary perpetually refilled and re-spiced on the bar and fiercely loyal local clientele who know when they’re on to a good thing. Lunch is the time when locals drift in. They consider this their private domaine. Start with a pint of the Pig’s Ear beer, which is a ‘Genuine Cotswold Ale’ from Gloucestershire. Then have an informal meal at the bar or book a table at least a week in advance in the Blue Room or the upstairs Dining Room. Menus change daily and offer adventurous hearty fare from smoked eel, cockles and pigeon to halibut with ox tongue, pork fillet with snails, roast bone marrow and salchichon Iberico, a traditional Spanish salami. The oysters have a widespread reputation, and the French fries served with punchy aioli are some of the best in town.

A young crowd tends to descend in the evening so the atmosphere is chatty and buzzing. Come during the day for a more relaxed vibe, which is almost like a private club. With vases of fresh flowers on the bar, an open fire, good original food and friendly service, it’s easy to see why people keep coming back for more.