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Bull & Last

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168 Highgate Road, NW5 1QS Full details & map

Gastropub: Modern European

 
© Alys Tomlinson

Time Out says   8 Users say 4/5 Rate it

Posted: Oct 31 2011

Unlike some gastropubs with gourmet pretensions, the Bull & Last proudly sells real ales. Doom Bar is a mainstay, but you may find Truman's Runner, or Sambrook's Wandle, both London beers. There are certainly good wines available by glass and bottle too, but ordering them doesn't feel right in this near-perfect neighbourhood boozer.

Tucker is first-rate: even the bread basket's a wowser - three varieties on our latest visit, including a wonderfully cake-like brown loaf. Brown crab macaroni showed the kitchen's high-end aspirations with its premium ingredients and elegant presentation. A salad of English peas, rocket and jersey royals was a little more rustic, but still secreted a swirl of cow's curd and sumptuously fresh and creamy pea fritters. Properly chewy-tender, maroon-centred onglet came with garlic butter and fat wedges of crusty triple-cooked chips. Squeeze in some own-made ice-cream for dessert: there are flavours aplenty.

Unfortunately, the superb food was not matched by the service. Staff were friendly, keen, intelligent, kind - and it's nice not to be rushed - but the waits to place orders and then to receive dishes are protracted, making even a great meal feel almost an hour too long. Frustrating.

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Bull & Last details

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Address

Bull & Last

168 Highgate Road NW5 1QS

Transport Kentish Town tube/rail then bus 214, C2, or Gospel Oak rail then bus C11

Telephone

020 7267 3641

Bull & Last website

Open noon-11pm Mon-Thur; noon-midnight Fri, Sat; noon-10.30pm Sun. Lunch served noon-3pm Mon-Fri; 12.30-3.30pm Sat, Sun. Dinner served 6.30-10pm Mon-Sat; 7-9pm Sun

Main courses £12-£25

Credit cards MC, V

Facilities

Tables outdoors ( 5, pavement ), Babies and children welcome ( high chairs; nappy-changing facilities ), Booking advisable, Separate room for parties ( seats 70 )

Bull & Last map

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Comments & ratings 4/5 (Average of 8 ratings)

By CK - Mar 12 2012
5/5

Love this place. One of the best places to get proper British food. Ambience and ales were likewise excellent. For more exotic bitters, just down the road is the Southampton Arms which has loads of handpulled ales from microbreweries around. A really good experience!

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Rachel Chee
By Rachel - Mar 11 2012
4/5

We had the Roast Guinea Fowl and Lamb Rump and they were cook perfectly. The Chocolate pudding was slight over cook. Otherwise it would be perfect.
The food is much better than lots of restaurants.

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By Jason - Jan 1 2012
5/5

Always packed for a very good reason - the food is superb. I'd recommend you book, especially at the weekend. Good selection of ales & family friendly.

Ok, it's not really a pub anymore, more of a restaurant but if they keep churning out quality good like this then so be it. If you want a real boozer pop around the corner to the Dartmouth Arms.

Our American chums might expect bigger portions but that's why they on average they're 50% more person that us lot in Dartmouth Park

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By islingtonfoodlover - Dec 22 2011

The food is excellent although quite pricey. Slightly annoying to get to but worth the trip.

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By riri - Dec 4 2011
5/5

Had a lovely lunch here on Saturday. It's more expensive than many gastropubs, but the food definitely justified the price. Very generous portions and delicious. We hadn't booked but the friendly waiter suggested we order a drink at the bar while they sorted out a table and sure enough, it was ready five minutes later. Food was a bit slow to come out, but no more than any decent restaurant. Shared a gorgeous beetroot salad to start, looked lovely and tasted fantastic with yummy little fried balls of beetroot and feta cheese. For my main I had cottage pie with cavolo nero. I hate it when a menu states the veg with the dish then serves up a few pathetic leaves. This dish came with a huge mount of perfectly cooked cabbage that went beautifully with the cottage pie. Only disappointment was not having room for a scoop of homemade ice cream, which I've heard is very good. I've eaten here two or three times before and enjoyed it, but would have previously said the food at The Stag (in South End Green) marginally pipped them to the post. However I think they've upped their game - it was a really great meal. And the starters are always excellent so don't scrimp!

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By love food - Nov 9 2011

I had dinner this week here. I had a main/dessert and the main was great although the dessert was good but a bit mundane. Will recommend.

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By Viv - Nov 7 2011
4/5

The service was very chummy, ,the food beyond expectations . Don't be put off by the odd disgruntled punter.

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By Raw - Sep 18 2011

Would totally agree with review below; "once bitten, twice shy!" Ice cream isn't that fresh.

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By Simon - Apr 15 2011

Personally I wouldnt visit this place again. Listed as a pub its actually a very overpriced and smug restaurant. The last time I was there, the few people I was with (including a very frail father of one of my friends) were told that because we hadn't booked a table we could not stand at the bar for a drink because we were in the way and would have to leave. The food is by no means exceptional but is very expensive considering it is basically a pub. There are plenty of other decent places or even restaurants to eat locally where you wont get the feeling your an interloper in someone elses cliquey little club.

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By juris - Apr 12 2011
2/5

worst fish and chips. very disappointed ... service was good and friendly.

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Rhodri Davies
By Rhodri - Feb 26 2011
4/5

Managed to get a table on a Saturday night out of sheer luck as the place was fully booked - some tables are not bookable. Had a great meal & fantastic bottle of wine, which I've now bought a case of, highly recommended.

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By Lzz:) - Feb 10 2011

I really liked The Bull and Last. It was an amazing gastropub - I'd rank it just below, say, Shangrila or Grand Hyatt (yes it's that good). Unlike Mark, I thought the waiters were amazing. They heard that I had an egg allergy and gave me a free salt caramel truffle. And just in case you were wondering, I booked through open table too. At the end I was totally stuffed because the food is really amazing. The ONLY dish that let me down was the rhubarb crumble (too sour) but the fish platter, the beer battered haddock, the anchovies...they were all amazing.

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By janet docherty - Jan 31 2011

The word is inedible, not unedible.

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By Mark - Jan 22 2011

I am frequent visitor to London, and as an ex-pat living in USA I seek something authentic and different. This is NOT it. Yes it has pig-ears for starters - which were little greasy, but the staff welcome was rude and condescending (maybe because I booked through open table). The only good thing about the meal was the cheese platter (which I ordered as I was still hungry) - I was in that state because the Beef Bourguignon was un-edible. Every bite of beef sucked my mouth dry. This apparently was passed onto the Chef, but we got no retort or response. No even a sorry. The side dish of courgette fritters seem like the oil needed changing and was disgusting. I seriously question the 5 star rating this place has. It is relatively cheap, but waste of time if you are still hungry at the end.
I suggest Time Out visit un-announced and check again

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