Food
Taking Orders: The Belrose
by Hannah Sherwood
The Belrose is a neighbourhood pub serving Italian-inspired rustic food and epic Sunday roasts alongside craft beers and signature wines
Where is it?
Nestled between Belsize Park and Chalk Farm, this north London pub is the perfect spot to swing by after a walk in nearby Primrose Hill or Hampstead Heath.
What’s all the fuss about?
Pubs can be judged on their Sunday roasts… ‘not enough gravy’, ‘soggy veg’, etc. but The Belrose’s offering sounded too good to not give it a go. Hello, bottomless gravy.
What’s the place like?
The decor has a cosy Mediterranean feel with warm woods, terracotta and blue interiors, and big windows so it’s lovely and light. The kitchen is small and open-plan.
What did we eat and drink?
The menu has an Italian influence with a selection of sharing plates, Romano-style pizzas from its pizza oven and roasts on Sunday.
After our jaunt around Hampstead Heath, my friend and I were starving so we ordered the rosemary and garlic pizzette and the crispy squid with chilli and lemon aioli. The squid was lovely and tender, delicious sprinkled with the fresh lemon and dunked in the aioli.
For my main course, I ordered the roast beef and my friend had the chicken. Thin, perfectly pink slices of beef came on a plate with roasties, a giant Yorkshire pudding and an onion cream. Herbed breadcrumb cauliflower cheese, Chantenay carrots, braised kale and peas came on a cast-iron skillet for you to help yourself.
The portions were generous and everything cooked very well, no soggy veg and excellent potatoes. The gravy could have been a bit hotter but we were too hungry to ask.
Not that we really needed it, but the Nutella calzone was a Nutella-lover’s treat! Encased in fluffy dough and dusted with icing sugar, it was naughty, but well worth it.
Your verdict?
The pub had a buzzy, relaxed vibe. Football was playing on the TV and there were young families eating around us, a good sign that it appeals to everyone. The staff were fun and friendly, and the food, well, it was all delicious.
Lasting memory?
The perfectly cooked beef and herbed breadcrumb cauliflower cheese!
