Sunday Lunch at the Crown and Two Chairmen, Soho

On my way from Oxford Circus last weekend to Sunday lunch at the Crown and Two Chairmen pub on Dean Street, I passed a fairly lengthy queue of folks bundled up and waiting to get a table at the Soho outpost of The Breakfast Club. With minutes of taking my seat upstairs at the Crown and perusing its rather choice selection of beer and thinking about what I wanted to eat, I already was feeling so much more savvy (and smugly so to be honest) than the curbside clubbers I’d passed moments ago – most of whom were still probably standing outside on the pavement).

This post isn’t to slam The Breakfast Club. It’s a fine establishment with a quirky vibe and an all rounder menu (I can certainly understand its success and appeal – and have never had a bad time at any of its outlets). But, c’mon. You’re in the middle of Soho and lined up for that when there’s plenty more options to dig into?

My lunch at the Crown was ace, and I loved the upstairs dining space, which was all but empty at 1.30pm (things picked up considerably by 2.30 though with hardly a free seat in the house). Highlights? To begin with service was efficient and friendly, seating was comfy, and I got a kick out of spotting a couple of celebrities out the window walking down street (if making a reservation, ask for a table by the window looking down on Dean Street).

Food was tasty. Parsnip and honey soup with rye bread and butter (£5.25) proved an ideal winter warmer to commence with, while Southern fried chicken (a wing, a drum and super juicy thigh with fries, coleslaw and house pickle dip, £11) was an indulgent treat. A pint of Red Admiral went down like a dream with the chicken. Dessert was yummy too. My sticky toffee pudding (served with vanilla pod ice cream, £5.50) was probably the tastiest I’ve ever had. A bottle of Tiny Rebel’s Dirty Stop Out Smoked Oat Stout paired nicely with it.

The Crown is an easy venue to recommend for a leisurely Sunday afternoon taking easy in the pub and off the pavement.

The Crown and Two Chairmen is located at 31-32 Dean Street, W1D 3SB. Find out more at thecrownandtwochairmenw1.co.uk.