The Blacksmith and The Toffeemaker
Spirits and pies - get in.
Review
It's so British it hurts and, on top of that, it's also properly trendy
and stylish (being on the fringes of Islington, it'd stand out a mile
if it wasn't). The Blacksmith and The Toffeemaker is the standard
English pub and grub minus the grumpy old men and plus a big dose of
speciality spirits - our new favourite being Kamm and Sons.
Itchy was told there would be delicious cocktails - Kammerling is a ginseng spirit, and can be mixed to make something called an Adam and Eve - and classy British food. Take a look at the video below if you don't believe how addictive those cocktails were and Itchy now promises to never doubt pub food again.
Yeah, it helps that they're down the road from some of the poshest restaurants and bars in London, but they're still out of the way enough to have proper old-fashioned pub quizzes and the occasional live music night - just like a real pub. They make some of the biggest and best pork pies, scotch eggs and quiche (okay, it might not sound English, but it definitely came from here) in the known world. We challenge any pub kitchen to turn out more food as dainty but filling as The Blacksmith and The Tofeemaker.
If you're keen to bring some friends, there's a private space you can hire and don't forget to do your bit for the recovering economy by ordering a drink from the crowdcube-funded Kamm and Sons.
The only disappointment was the fact that they waited until after Itchy left to get in a piano (still waiting to be tuned, we believe). We wanted a big sing-song, world-war-style round the old ivories... Perhaps that's why they waited.
If you want to like The B and The T on Facebook or follow them on Twitter you can find them here, at @TB_and_TT. Kammerling are online, on Twitter at @AlexKammandSons and on Facebook here.
Laura King
Itchy was told there would be delicious cocktails - Kammerling is a ginseng spirit, and can be mixed to make something called an Adam and Eve - and classy British food. Take a look at the video below if you don't believe how addictive those cocktails were and Itchy now promises to never doubt pub food again.
Yeah, it helps that they're down the road from some of the poshest restaurants and bars in London, but they're still out of the way enough to have proper old-fashioned pub quizzes and the occasional live music night - just like a real pub. They make some of the biggest and best pork pies, scotch eggs and quiche (okay, it might not sound English, but it definitely came from here) in the known world. We challenge any pub kitchen to turn out more food as dainty but filling as The Blacksmith and The Tofeemaker.
If you're keen to bring some friends, there's a private space you can hire and don't forget to do your bit for the recovering economy by ordering a drink from the crowdcube-funded Kamm and Sons.
The only disappointment was the fact that they waited until after Itchy left to get in a piano (still waiting to be tuned, we believe). We wanted a big sing-song, world-war-style round the old ivories... Perhaps that's why they waited.
If you want to like The B and The T on Facebook or follow them on Twitter you can find them here, at @TB_and_TT. Kammerling are online, on Twitter at @AlexKammandSons and on Facebook here.
Laura King
Tags
beer |
ale |
bar |
review |
recommended |
pub quiz |
pub |
pie |
gastropub |
London |
cocktail |
