The Royal Oak
Type: Local Picks, Pub, Pub Crawl
10Best Says
Every week, the majority of London descends on Columbia Road for the Sunday flower market, but for many years, the midweek days were eerily quiet. One of the few reasons you would find yourself on... Read More
Every week, the majority of London descends on Columbia Road for the Sunday flower market, but for many years, the midweek days were eerily quiet. One of the few reasons you would find yourself on this sweet Victorian terraced street, was to go to the Royal Oak. It's a handsome old-fashioned pub with a nice bit of polish, that serves excellent food and seems to always have a welcoming cheer about it.
Now that the rest of the street has filled up with wine bars and tapas restaurants, it's generally frantic inside, with the local vintage-clad crowd, creative yet grown-up. There's a little outdoor yard, which on summer days doubles as a second bar space, serving Bloody Marys and pastries on Sunday mornings.
Upstairs is a calm and civilised restaurant with a more serious menu of impressive modern British cooking.
Address:
Columbia Road
London, E2 7RG
020 7729 2220
Hours:
- Mon-Fri: 5pm-11pm
- Sat: Noon-11pm
- Sun: 11am-10:30pm
Website:
royaloaklondon.com
EXPERT TIPS BY:
Tyler Wetherall
Travel Expert
- Pubs, East London's Best Historic Pubs: "If you can get a table in the pub for a Sunday Roast, this is one of London's best."
- Best for Pubs Because: This pub bought people to Columbia Road before there was any other reason to be here apart from the Sunday Flower Market.
- Best for East London's Best Historic Pubs Because: This pub is something of a screen star, featuring in TV show 'Goodnight Sweetheart', film 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' and 'The Krays' biopic.