Backstreet boozer the Colonel Fawcett, tucked away on Randolph Street near Camden Road Overground, has been going strong for just shy of 15 years. And it’s always balanced its foodie credentials with its reputation as somewhere to kick back at the weekend.
You may be unaware of how influential the pub and its cooking were when it first opened. Back in 2011, a trio of twentysomethings took over what was then a rundown watering hole, hiring a young chef who cooked dishes – such as outstanding onglet – that previously you’d only find in Soho or Shoreditch (read an early review here). They even went on to win an Observer Food Monthly award for best Sunday Lunch.
Fast forward to 2025 and Kentish Town’s dining scene – not to mention Camden, and of course London’s as a whole – is entirely transformed, while the Fawcett itself has become a much-loved institution. Especially as it’s a choice spot to dine away from the hordes of tourists in the other bit of NW1.
Head chef Rob Chappell (formerly of The Old White Bear, Hampstead) steers the current emphasis on British pub food, using the finest produce from HG Walter, Perry’s and Daily Fish. The new spring menu reads simply – and yet the skill in these classic dishes is unquestionable, with each overdelivering on its deceptively simple promise.
We popped by last week to try a few plates in the garden on a sunny lunchtime. A pile of tempura tenderstem broccoli (£7.5) boasted lightly golden batter, its crunch zingy with a slathering of salsa verde (and no tough lower stalks in evidence, unlike some other examples we’ve tried recently).
Our other starter, a generous bowl of five crisp wild mushroom arancini, yielded a richer forest-floor earthiness than expected (no bland ‘shrooms here). Other small plates include smoked mackerel pate and pickles, beef rissoles and beetroot ketchup, and cauliflower cheese croquettes; some of these are pictured above.
At first glance, the mains might read fairly back-to-basics – Cumberland sausage and buttered mash or Hammerton ale-battered haddock, minted mushy peas, tartare sauce and chips – however, don’t be fooled. A classic Fawcett dish, chargrilled grass-fed bavette, showed expertise: sliced rosily medium rare, its exterior caramelised, it was easy on the knife (unlike some restaurants offering this cheaper cut). Better still, the unctuous sauce, which pooled on the plate, was rich with beefy flavour and studded with peppercorns – and yet the fries still retained their bite. The price? Just £19.
Each weekend sees a short list of specials, which often sell out, such as dry-aged sirloin on the bone for two or West Country lamb loin chop. We sampled the latter, prepared in rosy chunks, the scorched, rendered fat carrying an umami thwack of flavour, garden peas in a sea of rich lamby jus. Meanwhile, a side of potatoes, their skins crunchy, scattered with crispy sage, came with a dollop of aioli on the side. This one’s a must.
Wine is well priced, whether it’s a chilled Spanish Gran Cerdo dark pink rose or ice-cold Albarino. Bottles start at a reasonable £25; and bargain-hunters should go for the midweek wine “bangers” (Tues-Thurs), when a trio of wines are regularly slashed half price: thus a Riesling is £18.50 (rather than £37) and a rioja just £19.50 (rather than £39). Our advice would be to visit midweek and enjoy steak, chips and a bottle of red at just over £55 for two. That feels like solid value for prime NW1 in 2025.
If you haven’t been in for a while, you may be surprised by the elegant interior, all bare brick walls, artwork dotted around and the odd drape, while the back garden is more spacious than it first seems, with discreet covered booths as well as a triangle of tables in full sunshine up against the railway arches. And a tip: the front terrace enjoys the evening rays.
Finally, a few more tempting offers? A lunchtime menu is available on Thursdays and Fridays with selected mains at just £12.95, while pints of Amstel and Hammerton Pale Ale are just £5 all day every day, along with two-for-one margaritas at £12.
So, in short, if you’ve been distracted by the new openings in the area in the last year, perhaps now’s the time to return to NW1’s original foodie secret: this really is elevated pub grub to be reckon with.
This is a paid partnership in conjunction with Colonel Fawcett. If you are a local pub, restaurant or food and drink business wishing to speak to thousands of Londoners, email stephen@kentishtowner.co.uk
