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There are few things more glorious than waking up with a hangover on a Sunday morning only to remember you’ve got a pub lunch booked for 2pm. Time to roll out of bed, put on your comfiest trackies and get some much-needed hair of the dog. And all the better when it’s a top-tier gastropub, with excellent nosh to compliment a tipple.
But which London gastropub is the best of the lot? We’ve obviously got our own opinions on the matter here at Time Out, but now reservation platform OpenTable has chipped in with the winners of its inaugural Restaurant Awards. Half of OpenTable’s prizes were chosen by industry experts and half were voted on by the public, with the latter crowning the city’s top gastropub.
And the prize went to (drumroll please)...The Plimsoll in Finsbury Park. Known far and wide for its iconic Dexter cheeseburger, it’s become a mainstay of north London’s dining scene.
Ed McIlroy and Jamie Allan, the chef duo known as Four Legs, are to thank for The Plimsoll’s culinary creations, having opened the pub in 2021 after a long stint at The Compton Arms in Islington.
As well as its bona fide banger of a burger, The Plimsoll’s menu features a rotating mix of snacks, small plates and bigger plates. You’ll find everything from fried potatoes with aioli to merguez with mustard and grilled pigeon with mash.
Other prizes in OpenTable’s awards were dished out to London’s 26 most ‘iconic’ restaurants – which you can read all about here.
All the winners of the OpenTable People’s Choice awards
- Bucket List: The Ledbury, Notting Hill
- Gastropub of the Year: The Plimsoll, Finsbury Park
- Opening of the Year: Singburi, Shoreditch
- Neighbourhood Gem: St. John Smithfield, Barbican
- Standout Service: Rita’s, Soho
The best gastropubs in London, according to Time Out.
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