The Gun, Docklands

Address: 27 Coldharbour, Isle of Dogs, Docklands, London, E14 9NS
Nearest Tube: Supposedly Canary Wharf but get the Docklands Light Rail to Blackwall, its easier.
Ph: 020 7515 5222
email: info@thegundocklands.com
www.thegundocklands.com
View StreetMap.co.uk Map

Location, location, location. Sitting on the outside deck of The Gun and looking out over the water across to the old London docks and the Millenium Dome, is a very special London experience. When it gets too cold outside you can go and sit by the roaring log fire in the pub's 'sitting room' or head to the front bar for a glass of red wine or one of their many English ales. However if it is brunch you are after, head straight to the dining rooms which were once frequented by Sir Admiral Nelson and his mistress.

Our large group was easily accommodated and for once everyone arrived at nearly the same time as each other... though this is probably because we all got lost trying to find The Gun and turned up at least 40 minutes late for our reservation - which the Gun staff were really nice about.** As it was our Christmas BBC, and it was more like lunch by the time we had all arrived, most of us went for the Roast Beef - it was the only roast on the menu and the breakfast options were quite limited. Both meals were quite nice, though Sally said her monkfish ossobuco was dry. The veges on the other hand were superb. The potatoes were crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside, the greens were luscious and juicy and the parsnips.. oh the roast parsnips! We then all moved onto desert. I opted for the apple and blackberry crumble which came with ice-cream. Annie & Alison went for the Lemon brûlée with sable biscuit which they raved about. We then finished the meal off with teas and coffees before swapping Christmas presents and paying the bill (£30 each) and then heading off to try and negotiate our way back to our respective train stations - with a few drinks under our belt mind. In summary, great gastro pub, great location (once you find it), great ambience, nice food, amazing parsnips!

**Note: I later read in the TimeOut Eating Guide that The Gun is popular with the city workers from Bank and Canary Wharf who arrive in a 'procession of black cabs' every lunch time. Note: they all get cabs. Not a bad idea considering that trying to find the place from Canary Wharf tube station is a logistical nightmare. Hence my advice to get the Docklands Light Rail to Blackwall and walk from there, as it only takes about 5 minutes.


This London Brunch Review was by the Brunch Book Club London. We like to visit great breakfast cafés and brunch restaurants around London and provide independent brunch reviews. We only make recommendations for good brunch places in London such as The Gun, Pub & Dining Rooms, Isle of Dogs, Docklands, near Canary Wharf.

Smiths of Smithfield (Ground Floor), Farringdon

Address: 67-77 Charterhouse Street, Farringdon, EC1M 6HJ
Brunch: 09:30-17:00
Phone: 020 7251 7997
Nearest Station: Farringdon Tube
www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk
View Streetmap.co.uk Directions

Smiths is located in hip Farringdon and rightly so. With its industrial warehouse interior, black leather couches, dj spinning tunes softly-ish in the background and a functioning bar for ordering coffees while you wait to be seated, the ground level cafe-bar is so cool you can't even make a reservation. Its first-come first-served which in real terms means get ready to wait, and wait and wait some more for a space at one of the communal canteen-style tables. Admittedly we had a large group and everyone was late anyway so it wasn't a problem to chill out in the waiting area and sip a blackberry smoothie or three. The food was great and there was a decent choice between a traditional Full English breakfast and something a little healthier like porridge with honey, or even something from the juice bar. And the smoothies - well lets just say that everybody ended up getting a second round as they are pretty damn good. Probably not the best place to try and hold a literary group discussion (it is pretty noisy in there) but a fun place to just catch-up, which is exactly what we did.

If you are trying to find Smiths, its near Smithfield Market, London's traditional meat and poultry market. It sits right next door to London super club Fabric, so you can't miss it. Smiths is actually a 3-level restaurant plus another level for private rooms. You might have to sell an organ to afford to dine on the top level unless you are one of the successful media types that frequent the establishment during the week. But the bottom floor cafe bar is affordable and relaxed, especially on the weekend, making it a great place to get over your Sunday morning hang-over with one of their expertly mixed Bloody Mary's.

This London Brunch Review was by the Brunch Book Club London. We like to visit great breakfast cafés and brunch restaurants around London and provide independent brunch reviews. We only make recommendations for good brunch places in London such as Smith of Smithfields, otherwise known as Smiths, Farringdon, Near Smithfield Markets and Barbican, North - East London.