The Peasant

Great pub with friendly staff and a wide selection of beers and wines. Wise to check ahead at weekends that it hasn’t been exclusively booked out for a wedding party.

Brilliant food! I was there on Tuesday for a company function. The ambience was nice and cozy with downstairs divey pub atmosphere and upstairs sit down restaurant. We were a group of at least 50 – 60 people and the service was excellent given the headcount.
I opted for the Red wine risotto for appetizer, Cod and Israeli couscous for main dish and an apple pear crumble for dessert. The cod came with green beans and a chilly peppercorn oil that was super spicy but ridiculously delicious. I would highly recommend all these three items but not sure if they are part of the regular daily menu. I would come back anytime!
A little more ice cream and softer pear pieces in my crumble would have been an extra bonus.

This review is based on a Christmas party our office organised for about 45 people, so I don’t know what the pub is like for a regular meal or drinks.
The manager was very easy to work with and very willing to work with our stricter payment options. He gave us the entire upper floor for private use and accommodated our requests as best as he could. So I would definitely recommend organising a work party with The Peasant if you’re looking for a place!
Overall, the atmosphere of the pub was very lovely and festive, perfect for our traditional Christmas dinner. The staff were friendly and set up the tables beautifully. We went with the standard 3-​course Christmas menu, which offers meat, fish, and vegetarian options. I had the vegetarian options and sat with others who had the meat dishes. My starter — a light salad — was refreshing and light, though it wasn’t very memorable. The nut roast was pretty tasty and had a lot of comforting flavour. The letdown was the dessert, which, for me, was a chocolate lava cake. I just thought it was dry and just left me thinking the overall dinner was only a little bit better than average. But the rest of the night was fantastic as the drinks and conversation flowed with the group.
I do think the price, though, was very reasonable, so even though I am in between 3 and 4 stars, I went with 4 stars taking into account how great they were to work with, the beautiful interior, and my tasty main. And the fact that I am curious to stop by for a regular meal in the future.

Four stars if you go for a drink.
Two stars if you go for the food.
«Looks like your review is on the short side so we’ve added it as a tip for now.» ~ Unilocal

Great meal (unctuous Pork Belly with Mash and crisp vegetables) a properly pulled pint of Guinness, and a very cool ambiance. Proletariat posters, great rock/​punk music (though the volume was too low), and left-​over ornateness from the building’s previous lives.
A really interesting clientele and lots of laughter. Great service from honest working class folks.
I don’t live in the UK, but I found my local.

I have seen numerous michelin stickers on the doors every single time I passed the Peasant so I finally decided to give it a try.
The food was absolutely fantastic. We had beef and chicked they dishes were so huge that we dindnt manage to finish them. We tried the draught cider which wasnt great.
Id definitely come here again for the food though.

Now this is a truly lovely pub. The only reason I haven’t given it 5 stars is because it has the feel or a ‘regular’ and I would need to go a few more times before saying it’s in my top watering holes. If I return I promise to review again.
I went with friends on a Friday after work. Surprisingly, it wasn’t very busy for a London venue. Most tables were occupied, but there were empty seats still and it didn’t feel like the crammed pubs I’ve gotten used to. «Perfect», I thought.
Not being a big beer or ale drinker, I feel like I can’t do it’s drink selection justice becuase I stuck to vodka and lemonade, but my friends seemed happy. I can, however, talk about food. We chose from the bar menu because we were led to believe the restaurant was for hire only. Perhaps, on reflection this was the only menu? I’m not sure. I was slightly surprised at the limited number of options, but hopefully there’s something that will tempt you if you go. I opted for the more chicken with red wine jus and mashed potatoes, but was told that they had in fact ran out of chicken so could offer lamb rump instead. Honestly, this was even better in my mind. The portions were generous and the lamb was beautifully cooked. I couldn’t fault it.
If you’re in the Clerkenwell area I’d highly recommend you try this place out. It’s perfect far catching up with friends over a drink and nice meal.

Great pet-​friendly pub experience! I’ve recently moved to the Clerkenwell area with my dog and the Peasant was a great find! Enjoyed Sunday roast there this past weekend, food was excellent and reasonably priced and they even brought out a water bowl and pieces of leftover chicken for my dog.

Very comfortable ambiance, good food, fine service. I was a truly solid dining experience. This comes from someone who has almost given up on the notion of gastropubs. They have come to mean pretentious, fussy food that is not particularly good. The meal my partner and I had couldn’t be further from overdone food. Dinner was simply delicious… and isn’t that why we like to eat?

Solid gastropub in Clerkenwell. We arrived at about 7pm and it was bustling. But then again, when is a pub ever not bustling in London? Probably never. They have a good beer selection and my pint of Leffe started me off to a good evening.
Finally after waiting 2 years from my last trip to London, I ate REAL fish and chips again that night. When I say REAL fish and chips, I mean the whole fish fillet battered and fried, unlike in the US where battered and fried fish strips are used in fish and chips. The traditional pea purée also came with the fish and chips. The chicken ballontine was also pretty darn amazing. To say that the texture was smooth would be an understatement… I hardly had to do much hard chewing on the piece of chicken. My sister had the roasted fillet of salmon with tossed linguine which she loved.
Service was good despite being busy. If it gets too crowded, just walk up to the bar and order your food there. They’ll bring it to your table.

I had *such* high hopes for this place after reading Unilocal reviews and seeing in the paper that they were the spot for Eton Mess (my achilles heel dessert!)
So I managed to happily spend an hour reading the paper and drinking organic cola while waiting for the restaurant to open at 5pm. The waitress was friendly and helpful and as soon as the clock struck 5, she came over to take my order. By this point, I couldn’t wait for dessert, so I just started with the Eton Mess.
When it arrived it looked beautiful. But with my first bite, I realised something was wrong. The cream, meringue and fruit was studded with what tasted like cheap chocolate chips. I’m not an expert on chocolate but I’ve had some pretty good stuff before, and these chocolate chips were very waxy and completely incongruous in the dessert. Perhaps they are using cooking chips which are higher in fat and so don’t taste at all well when surrounded by cold items (as they’re meant to be melt).
I knew there were meant to be hints of Baileys in the Mess (which I didn’t get) and maybe some brownie pieces (which were lovely) but the chocolate chips kept getting in the way, and I ended up spitting them out, watermelon-​pip style. What a shame, for such a simple beautiful dish to be so confused…

Dinner on 7−2 – 2012…lovely pub, excellent fish and chips, friendly and attentive service, excellent ale. A delight.

Now back in California only a day after our great experience at The Peasant, I am already longing for a Truman’s Runner ale and another great meal. Alas — I am now more than 5,000 miles away and can only look forward to our next visit to London.
We were staying in Bloomsbury — and based on Unilocal reviews decided to go to The Peasant for our last dinner in London. Although we were hungry and walked past some other gastropubs we held out for The Peasant, and we are so glad that we did. It was Monday and the upstairs restaurant was not open so we ate in the bar — and usually prefer that anyway. the full restaurant menu was available, however. The bartenders were very attentive and went out of their way to be sure our questions were answered and that we were happy with everything there. When I asked what beers were available by hand pull — I was brought a sample of each so that I could decide based on taste rather than by description. I selected the Truman’s Runner ale. I also agreed with my wife that she was provided the best martini either of us ever tasted. They just did everything right!
Our meals were creative and original, the flavors complemented one another and I can’t say enough about the excellent quality, flavor, and presentation. The Chilean heritage of the chef was evident in my dinner — the pan fried salmon with beetroot, chickpea and coriander salsa — just the right amount of heat in the salsa and fabulous combination of flavors. My wife was equally ecstatic with her whole roasted poussin entrée. To top it off for desert, the Chocolate and Bailey’s Eaton mess was a decadent finish to the meal. We left happy and well fed for our journey back to the states and we will definitely return to The Peasant on our next visit to London.

Wow! It has been quite a while since I was so completely blown away and satisfied with a meal.
Considering it is one of the original Gastro Pubs this neighbourhood establishment has no airs or attitude but is instead welcoming and friendly. There is something grand in its slightly worn in wood patina and mosaic floors. The large curved bar almost gives is a Paris bistro feeling. Indeed this is an ideal location for a Gastro Pub: Polished yet cozy.
Now I will try to keep the superlatives to a minimum, but I really cannot say enough about how enjoyable a meal I had here. I sat downstairs in the pub area, though there is a restaurant space upstairs. The waitstaff was friendly and easy going, the menu seasonal, the ales were choice. I opted for the roast lamb in a red wine jus and red peppers, with mash and greens. Outstanding! There is just no other word for it. Cooked to perfection and presented on a plate with style like it was a high end restaurant. Just gorgeous. Even though I finished the whole thing, I had to have dessert which consisted of a bread pudding in three sauces which I fear I will be dreaming about in the months to come. And that means only one thing. I will be going back very, very soon!

You know when you watch movies/​tvshows where the lovable gang of main characters have some crazy night out and regroup the next day for a hungover brunch worthy of champions? The Peasant would be the establishment of choice for such a shenanigans-​filled meal of awful reflection in the hypothetical movie/​tvshow of my life.
Came here on a Sunday and the roast was exactly what I needed. The large windows and strong coffee were also helpful. Also expect pleasing-​décor, a surprisingly quiet neighborhood setting and (of course) delicious delicious food. If only my dignity would allow for more post-​weekend antics meals!

When I first went to the Peasant, it was before I was really into Unilocal,and I have decided that my review did not do this place justice.
This place is probably the best pub in London — The Old Brewery gives it a run for its money, but that is another story.
The Peasant is such a wonderful refreshment from all of the chain pubs and pub/​music venues in London. It is a small, intimate little independent pub that knows what it is doing.
The beer selection is one of the best that I have seen… anywhere. They always have a Meantime on tap, along with Erdinger, Guinness and a selection of wonderful guest brews that is ALWAYS changing to keep things fresh. And by always, I mean my friends and I go to the Peasant at least twice a week, and the selection is a little different every single time. They also have a good selection of bottled brews, notably several varieties of Brooklyn.
The food is great, and rather unique in today’s homogenized mainstream. You can get everything from standard fish and chips to a meat platter which includes ox tail and cow’s tongue (being a vegetarian, I have not had this, but I hear good things). The food is a little pricey, but definitely worth it.
The staff is perfectly friendly — they always great you with a smile and make time for the customer, no matter how busy.
The atmosphere strange, yet wonderful. The worn 17^th Century mosaic tile floor contrasts with the Sex Pistols and Depeche Mode artwork on the walls, but the Peasant manages to do it in a way that works.
It can get crowded in the evening hours, when all the workers from the City make their way here to have a drink after work, but even then, the crowd is rarely unbearable.
Go. Have a drink. It will be good for your soul.

Um, 2 words. Belgian beers. La Chouffe, Rochefort, Westmalle, Duval and a few others I am forgetting. The do have several British offerings on tap, but as I’m not well versed in those, I will leave it at that.
Popped by after class with friends, and the place was empty, but I imagine that it is very popular based on other’s reviews.
Beautiful tiled building, friendly barstaff, and loads of space. Gastropub offerings. I will be back for a meal, and update my review then!

I wish it was a bit closer to some of the other pubs and shops around the block on Upper Street, but this is a great spot for City University students and anyone willing to head out on the 43 or 153 to have a bite and some nice brews.
Their warm apple cider with Pimm’s is worth a visit in the Winter time, however try to avoid the holiday office party crowds. They tend to really spoil the atmosphere.

Last night, my husband and I made risqué sounds at The Peasant. We weren’t involved in any hanky-​panky, we were noisily enjoying the pork roast. Each bite was melt-​in-​your-​mouth deliciousness.
We left in a daze and, half a block away, my other half realized he had forgotten his rain jacket. We looked towards The Peasant and saw our waitress running towards us with it.
Such food! Such service! I love this place.

I’m actually trying to figure out WHAT precisely about this pub makes it such a win… I really really adore it, but it’s not any one thing that makes it stand out on its own… let’s explore.
Near to my old university, we would visit here fridays after classes (because on Fridays, it’s find to start at 3:30…or so we believed) and we started coming because it was hands down the cheapest place around (the Queen Bodicea down the street is RIDICULOUS). After we came here once, we all agreed unanimously that it was a win.
The drinks were reasonable for being in the heart of Islington next to a university, and when we ordered nibbles over the summer, they had THE.MOST.AMAZING desert ever… It was called the Eton Mess or something? I’m sure an actual Brit is going to be like, yeah it’s _​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​, which is a national desert, you bloody American, get it right!’ Well, it was absolutely amazing. A friend said their bread pudding was pretty darn good too.
The inside is just funky, withh posters of lots of different bands everywhere with mismatched furniture and tables. Overall, it’s got a quaint/​retro feel, which is just multiplied by the authentically NICE barmen. I’ve seriously NEVER met such friendly barmen in all the pubs I’ve been to (and let’s be honest here… that’s quite a few). If you’re not sure exactly what you want, food or drink wise, they’ll be more than happy to make suggestions, which is how I ended up with the Eton whatchamacallit.
Nothing fancy, but highly endearing.