Last Updated on June 26, 2025
A Quintessential British Pub with Pies, Pints and Pol Roger
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Tucked away on a quiet corner of Fitzrovia, The Newman Arms is more than just another London pub – it’s a slice of the city’s history. With roots stretching back to 1730, this pint-sized spot blends old-world charm with a modern flair. Whether you’re popping in for one of their legendary pies or simply soaking in the atmosphere with a pint in hand, The Newman Arms offers a refreshingly authentic escape from the city’s sleeker watering holes.
The Newman Arms holds a quiet place in literary history thanks to its connection with George Orwell, who was a regular during his years in London. Many believe the pub helped inspire the “prole pubs” in Nineteen Eighty-Four – those dimly lit, working-class haunts that protagonist Winston Smith visits in search of something real, something uncorrupted by the Party. While the pub isn’t named outright, its gritty, lived-in, and defiantly unpolished atmosphere fits Orwell’s vision of a vanishing, more human corner of society.
We last reviewed the pub in 2017, and since then, it has undergone a refurbishment. There’s a relaxed lounge area with sofas in the basement, a traditional tap room on the ground floor that spills out onto the street and the pie room on the first floor. It still has much the same feel, though I don’t remember white tablecloths, and if the lounge existed before, we didn’t spot it!
It’s a popular place – we made our way through the crowds outside and up the stairs to the pie room, where we were grateful for our reservation. Despite, or perhaps because of, the white table linen and candlesticks, this place still has a gritty and slightly dated feel. Beyond the pies, the menu is a tribute to pub classics – chicken liver pate or half a pint of prawns for starters, chocolate cake or a British cheeseboard to finish.
My companion was keen to try the classic chicken liver pate, which appeared with a generous helping of caramelised onions and sourdough. Just a little too soft for her, but delicious nonetheless.
For me, the curious sounding crispy lamb belly scrumpets with fresh pea salad and tartare sauce. I had visions of something meaty on a crumpet, but it turns out that a scrumpet is simply meat coated in breadcrumbs – a kind of rissole. These were very moreish and quite delicious. I loved the fresh pea salad, a seasonal and fragrant version of mushy peas that seemed entirely appropriate.
We were slightly disappointed to hear that there was no aged beef shin and rib pie that night. However, it does suggest that at the Newman Arms, these are properly made from scratch, as it is a dish that would take hours to put together. Instead, my companion picked the chicken, ham hock and creamed leek pie, which came with a generous portion of mash and roasted hispi cabbage.
My fisherman’s pie was the star dish of the night, with a whole langoustine, head on, peering out from a bed of mash and looking as if it was trying to scoff the salmon roe. Packed with fish and rich with white wine sauce, it was the kind of robust classic I used to enjoy in Cornwall before it became a hotbed of Michelin-starred dining (not that I’m complaining, it’s just finding a regular pub is sometimes tricky)
Neither of us had the appetite to manage the Newman Arms chocolate cake after that, so instead we shared a glorious cheeseboard with Burts Blue, Lancashire Bomb and Ashlynn, served with water biscuits and quince menbrillo.
The short but rather funky drinks list included Pol Roger (Churchill’s favourite Champagne), a Royal Tokaji 5 puttonyos (2016) and a rather fine, if brief, list of spirits. Our choice to accompany the meal was a delicious Yealands Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand – my pick because I’ve met the winemaker and know she has a particular focus on sustainability and the environment, without compromising the quality of her wines in any way. Yealands L5 is a good example of a classic Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and was well-priced here at £34 per bottle. Worth noting that all the wines were reasonably priced, starting at £26 for the house wines and with the aforementioned Pol Roger for £75.
Apart from being a great example of a classic British pub, it’s possible to fill up nicely here on a budget – a pie and a pint will come in under £30, and you really won’t need to eat more. Try it – you’ll find it’s a pretty addictive treat.
Newman Arms
23 Rathbone St,
Fitzrovia
London W1T 1NG
Phone: 020 7436 9777
