The Horseshoe Pub, Hampstead

image: Tourbytransit.com

One of my favourite walks in London is to park the car near Kenwood House and walk from the house and it's ground into Hampstead Heath to admire the view then to drop down into Hampstead High Street for a spot of lunch.

I am always amazed that this very large piece of land remains free and open to the public so close to the centre of London but it does and we should all be very grateful. It really does feel like the lungs of London and the views across the city are breathtaking.

image - thewritingnut.com

Lunch is another matter of course and this time we opted for a table at The Horseshoe Pub. Well it's definitely a gastro-pub serving their own brewed ales and organically sourced meals so it's a move away from the traditional to serve it's Hampstead clientelle. You can even take a brewery tour if that's your thing.

The menu is a bit limited (it's a pub kitchen after all) but came across as modern, British and perfect for a lunchtime snack. According to Time Out you usually need to book (my fleet of foot husband leapt across the road when he saw a table become free through the window) as the lunchtime rush is good value for such good food.

I couldn't resist the venison scotch eggs with a celeriac salad. Not overpoweringly strong the meat was extremely tasty and the eggs really glowing in terms of the bright orange organic yolk. I would never have matched this with celeriac in a creamy mayonnaise sauce but the combination was brilliant!

My husband chose his favourite lunchtime dish, eggs benedict, which was an enormous portion (good job we had to walk back). For those of you who don't know what eggs benedict is, it's an American dish taken lovingly to the hearts of the British palette as it consists of two halves of an English muffin topped with ham, poached eggs and a freshly made Hollandaise sauce. Far too rich for me I confess but my husband adores it!

The decor is all stripped wood floor, large bench tables and a large bar running the length of the pub. A friendly atmosphere, superb food and right in the centre of Hampstead you should give it a try when next passing through.

The Horseshoe, 28 Heath St, London, Greater London NW3 6TE Call 020 7431 7206 to book.