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Bull & Last
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© Alys Tomlinson
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By Jenni Muir
Forget the fair-to-middling cafés around Swains Lane – the south-eastern side of Hampstead Heath at last has a genuine destination for seriously good, yet informal, cooking.
The new version of the Bull & Last is run by the team behind the admirable Prince of Wales in Putney. A prime destination for a pint after shopping at the new Saturday farmers’ market opposite, it offers a good range of draught ales that includes Spitfire, Cocker Hoop pale ale from the Lake District and Hooky Bitter – a guest ale
so popular they’ve decided to keep it on. One corner of the welcoming bar holds the fixings of a mighty Bloody Mary and a big pumpkin; while a blackboard above emphasises a concern for ingredient provenance, listing suppliers such as Mary Holbrook (for cheese, kid and British Lop pigs), Colchester Oyster fishery in East Mersea and Rushbury House Farm in Gloucestershire (a bull from here lasts a month, apparently).
We’ve visited the Bull & Last on several occasions since it reopened, and enjoyed hearty braised ox cheek with parsley risotto and roast marrow and cassoulet – the latter dish is for two officially, but, like all good cassoulets, it felt like it could feed the 5,000. Lighter options such as Cornish hake served with broad bean, shallot and potato salad showed judicious hands at work in the kitchen.
The own-made charcuterie is an impressive turn of rillettes and offally bits (duck liver parfait and more) and worth ordering to share – the fact is, all portion sizes are so huge that attempting a three-course meal here is almost futile. So we’ve still not managed to try the likes of buttermilk pudding with wild blackberries and shortbread, or caramelised bananas with rum-and-raisin ice cream. Yet even bar snacks – sausage roll with black pudding, Scotch eggs and for Saturday lunch a melting slab of croque monsieur or steak sandwich – are firmly in the gourmet bracket, and the fat triple-cooked chips could very well be the capital’s best.
Kids are welcome (children’s portions cost £6), as are dogs, who are offered bowls of water and pigs’ ears. Bookings are only taken for Friday and Saturday nights, Sunday lunch and groups of more than six people, but the revamped Bull & Last has proved so popular with Parliament Hill Fields locals (and their Bernese mountain dogs) that trying to secure your table, especially on Sundays, is the smart move.Time Out Issue1992: October 23-29
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Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
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Details
- 168 Highgate Road, Kentish Town, NW5 1QS
- Area: Kentish Town
- Tel: 020 7267 3641
- Book online
- Category: Gastropubs
- Travel: Kentish Town tube/rail then 214, C1, C2, C11 bus/Gospel Oak rail
- Times: Open 11am-11pm Mon-Sat; 11am-10.30pm Sun. Food served noon-3pm, 6.30-10pm Mon-Fri; noon-10pm Sat; noon-9.30pm Sun
- Credit cards: MC, V
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girlonwire78
If you'd try slacklining because I told you it was fun. If you'd drive to Dorset on a whim to go walking, windsurfing and cook big food. If you'd...
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ps, I was sitting upstairs, maybe the pub atmosphere downstairs would have helped.
They *do* take bookings for all, in fact they encourage it!
Everything was good, but not quite as great as the article makes out, and I didn't think it was great value for money. Try Konstam if you want something just slightly better in every way (food, service, value and ambiance).
I was there on Sunday. The best food experience i have had in London. Food was great and the service even better. Teal salad was excellent.
Great pub and great food, will be going back soon.
Had to sample more Bull & Last homecooked food. Charcuterie Board & Fish Board? mmmnnn both absolutely devine! (Not at the same time)
Staff great , wine list awesome, country in Hampstead Heath,
Dont miss out on a gastro delight.
The best gastro pub I have experienced in London. Delicious traditional food with the occasional modern twist. Like being in the English countryside but with the convenience of being in central london. Staff are friendly and knowledgable and the pub offers excellent value for money.
This is a fantastic neighbourhood pub, been three time now, worth travelling from our home in islington. Dressed crab and pig cheek ravioli's were particularly good on this weekends visit, triple cooked chips are the best ive had, especially when you order them with the haddock fish & chips. enjoy...
I have to disagree with Iain and nell.
This pub is a great place to go and eat. I live just around the corner and visit regularly. And just cant understand this negativity, Everyone i know love's the pub, food, staff and the especially the chips. Make your own minds up..
I have eaten here twice and have twice been disappointed. It's all presentation and little taste. The triple cooked chips are so cooked, there is no potato left and after a handful you feel sick. The double sittings in the evenings make you feel rushed. Overall its fine, but just trying a bit too hard.
Just got back from a disappointing meal at the Bull and Last. To top off the luke warm food and slow service, we were overcharged on the bill. When the mistake was pointed out the barman argued about what we had eaten! After we eventually settled to prevent a scene, on the way out he told us to get lost.
Shame, had been looking forward to trying out this local pub for a while.