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Time Out says 5 Users say Rate it
The owners of this imposing Georgian pub, set on a corner in the backstreets between City Road and Hoxton, clearly read the 'How to Make a Gastropub' handbook from cover to cover before taking over this fine site - from a previous pub-with-food - in the summer of 2010.
Taxidermy, a trio of real ales, a wine list with a mix of New World and Old World, classic pub staples with a retro twist… upright piano, real fire, low-slung sofas and candles in Champagne bottles… they're all present and correct .
The main bar, brighter and lighter than most with whitewashed, wood-panelled walls, is part dining room and part drawing room with an assortment of tables and chairs, leather loungers and Chesterfields to chill in, small speakers playing Northern Soul as well as board games and broadsheets. On the first floor there are a couple of rooms available for event hire as well as for dining and drinking.
Of the three traditional real ales, the Timothy Taylor Landlord was spot-on but the Black Sheep was a little woolly and not as well kept. The selection of spirits could do with some sprucing up and the range of wines could be a little wider.
The kitchen kicks off at noon serving kippers with bubble and squeak, or a full English. There are lots of things on toast - potted crab, roast field mushrooms and Welsh rarebit. Bar snacks include oysters, whitebait and pork pie, while the main menu is a mainly meaty affair offering burgers, bangers and mash and steak sandwiches which were sizeable, succulent and, for £8, didn't push their luck on price. For the sweet of tooth, meanwhile, there's knickerbocker glory.
William IV details
Follow William IV to receive updates on new events happening here.
What is 'following'?020 3119 3012
Open noon-11pm Mon-Thurs; noon-midnight Fri, Sat; noon-10.30pm Sun Food Served: noon-3pm, 6-9pm Mon-Wed; noon-3pm, 6-10pm Thur-Sat; noon-7pm Sun
William IV map
Comments & ratings 4/5 (Average of 5 ratings)
Based on Shepherdess Walk, away from the hubub of Old Street, this pub is definitely an amazing place that I will come back to time and time again. Everything about this place was great. My roast pork belly was phenomenal. My other half tried the roast chicken, which was cooked to perfection, along with the lovely crisp but fluffy roast potatoes. Service was extremely, prompt, friendly and the two guys behind the bar catering for our group left us with a smile on our faces, in fact they even left us in stitches at some points. If you're looking for a great place to chill out after a heavy night out on Saturday, then the William IV is the place to be. I've already booked my table for next Sunday!
Horrible service (the waiter actually succeeded in making us feel unwelcome at this place), which is too bad because the food was excellent.
With its Christmas Eden charm dressed in ivy, mistletoe and pinecones, this really is the perfect pub right now; with it’s real fire and spiced warm drinks…
Sunday lunch is excellent. Between six of us we chose Beef, chicken and baked hake with spinach. Service is friendly and efficient. Food perfectly served. With plenty of vegetables and extra gravy. This is our first Sunday visit but our fourth meal here in 2 months. They also do a frightenly good Bloody Mary's and some hearty desserts.
Best roast chicken I have eaten for a long time in a pub went down very nicely with a delicious bottle of red and a lemon posset dessert thingy for pudding.
Fantastic Place. Went on a busy Thursday Evening with 3 friends. The wine was great, the food even better. Would defiantly recommend, not too expensive for the quality of the food. It’s a no frills pub and I imagine that it gets very busy because the food is GREAT. Well worth a visit.
this gastro-pub, I have to say, it is a total success. The food is of outstanding quality - especially the Sunday roasts blow me away every time, the wine menu has been selected by a true connoisseur featuring a very different but nice and easy drinking European list (against what is mentioned in the review, there are no signs of 'New World' wines - a much appreciated fact, not only for carbon footprint sakes).
The beers, ales and spirits are also very wisely chosen. The atmosphere is always very warm and welcoming, the staff, the music and even the pricing being alway spot on ...
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