A review of Fitzrovia speakeasy The Lucky Pig
The Lucky Pig in Fitzrovia rather reminded me of a bar I once went to in North Beach, San Francisco. Dark and hidden in a basement, this speakeasy styled venue mixes a distressed interior with a clientele who look as if they’ve come straight from their desks at Saatchi & Saatchi.
Cocktails are the order of the day and the bar staff here make them exceptionally well. With the majority priced at between £9 and £9.50, a Gosling’s Dark & Stormy presented in a jam jar and a drink named the “Southside Royal”, combining Bombay Sapphire, champagne, cucumber and mint, were both excellent.
Classic cocktails such as an Old Fashioned and a gin martini, equally, were interpreted perfectly and the staff and manager, Olly Hornby-Smith, formerly of Soho House and Match Bar, were efficient and knowledgeable. Live music is a regular feature here and the crowd of media types most definitely got into the spirit.
The Lucky Pig change their guest beers monthly and we tried both the Swiss 1936 beer and the Hobo Beer Company craft Czech lager. The 1936, which I’ve tried elsewhere, was a winner but we thought it a little curious for a venue to be charging £5 for Hobo, a beer in a can that frankly tasted “tinny”.
The Lucky Pig sadly did not score highly in the dining stakes. Priced at £14.90 per dish, which I’d suggest is surprisingly highly for what essentially are snacks, are such things as spicy chilli dogs and burgers. My companion commented that the chilli dogs were “beyond inedible” and I must say the burgers were bland and disappointing. Platters of cured meats (£16) and vegetable mezze (£14.50), which, of course, are virtually impossible to get wrong were perfectly acceptable and if you are to eat anything, these are much better bets.
For a fun night’s drinking in a genuinely eccentric setting, The Lucky Pig definitely strikes all chords. Just be sure that you pig out in advance.
The Lucky Pig, 5 Clipstone Street, Fitrovia, London, W1W 6BB. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7436 0035. Website: http://www.theluckypig.co.uk
Follow The Lucky Pig on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/TheLuckyPigW1