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Much like perennially crowded sister pub The Culpeper, The Buxton was teeming with kerbside drinkers when I stopped by, its patio doors thrown open for maximum impact. Yet despite the enticing approach and an interior that’s totally gorgeous – heaps of marble and brass – the place just didn’t scream ‘pub’. It now has the look of a tapas bar, a smart style to match the boutique hotel rooms added above.
As such, the clientele – many in crisp shirts, some accompanied by dogs on loose leads – were eschewing pints and pies for pinot noir and pappardelle. Luckily, you can order both of these pairings and enjoy them up at the bar. There’s no service from it, though, with chefs behind it, and waiting staff working the shiny floor instead.
I started off with an Ivy Gimlet Royale – like a vodka version of a fruit pastille, a no-nonsense aperitif that consequently felt a little dear at £10.50. The wine list is mostly French and Italian wine to go with European plates – I just wished more had been available by the glass. Still, a chardonnay went down nicely with courgette-and-ricotta-laden tagliatelle.
While there’s little of that old-school pub-comfort factor, The Buxton has plenty to make you feel good. Take your pedigree chum and get stuck in.