Reviews
Kensington is a convenient shorthand for the more salubrious side of the capital but it is hardly a catch-all: up on Kensington Gore one is abutting the Gardens and Palace and rubbing silky shoulders with squabbling oligarchs; farther west on K Church Street you find chichi antiques and twee dealers, the High Street is upmarket chain-store territory and by the time Ken becomes – my dear – West Ken, all is dreariness and drizzle.
But even on the North End Road – more Poundland than wonderland – there are outbreaks of civilisation, and the bountiful hanging baskets outside The Cumberland Arms are beacons to seekers of an honest pint or a restorative Bloody Mary.
Here are many reassuring signs of the Good, Honest Local: a friendly tabby cat not averse to a stranger’s stroke; a sprinkling of solitary but respectable gents nursing their pints; a discreetly smart couple; idiosyncratic furniture (wobbly chairs, an old piano) and the kind of young professionals who are content to lounge and sup rather than bray and boast.
The Cumberland is owned by the Manners brothers, Richard and George, who look after four similar venues and know what their customers expect: simple, substantial and tasty food, quality beer and a relaxed atmosphere.
All of this is satisfactorily in evidence on any given Sunday, when the Cumberland is a good spot to hit with the papers (free Wi-Fi if you are tablet-minded): the BMs are made with fresh tomato juice and as much Tabasco as the fuzzy brain requires.
On the beer front there are draught lagers if you insist, but more alluringly a regular rotation of real ales. Otter and London Pride were lined up when we visited, alongside a welcome ambassador to West Ken from the West Country: Tribute, that fresh, slightly fruity, strong-finishing triumph of the St Austell brewery in Cornwall.
This is not a venue to impress an overseas visitor or sway a first date – you really need to be at the smarter end of Kensington for that, and armed with well-loaded plastic. This one is for quality time with your oldest and bestest, not your loudest and brashest.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
A popular gastropub close to Olympia, The Cumberland has an attractive rich blue-pained façade with golden lettering and impressive floral displays in season. Pavement benches and tables help to alleviate the pressure inside while mellow furniture and stripped floorboards characterise the interior. Friendly staff, an affordable wine list and well-kept ales are the draw for those seeking after work refreshment, but it is also a great place for flavoursome plates of unpretentious Mediterranean-style food offered from a monthly-changing menu supported by daily specials. Hearty dishes range bruschetta al pomodoro — grilled Pugliese bread with vine tomatoes and basil; orecchiette with purple sprouting broccoli, chilli, anchovy, garlic and olive oil; and Catalan chicken with sultanas, pine nuts, almonds and tomatoes. Even the sandwiches, if that’s all you have time for, are a cut above the rest: mozzarella with slow roast tomatoes and pesto, for example, or grilled chicken with pancetta and avocado salsa. There’s a canape menu too.
AA PUB GUIDE
A pleasant, no-fuss pub in the culinary desert near Olympia, with very helpful and smiley service and grub that’s a cut above.
HARDEN'S LONDON RESTAURANTS
A great find, this, a cathedral-ceilinged pub decked out in the best possible taste. On the walls are a publicity poster for Air Atlas and a classic shot of Grand Central Station bathed in sunlight, an image echoed by beams of light falling on the wooden tables and banquettes.
The Cumberland circulates its beers, listing the coming attractions on the menu: as well as the familiar likes of Deuchars IPA and St Austell Tribute, you may find rarer ales from such brewers as Otter, Butcombe and Sharp's.
Food's another strong suit (expect to hear regulars raving about the Andalusían oxtail casserole and goat's cheese tart), but this is more pub than gastropub. The 40-plus wines start at around £15 a bottle and run north to around £30.
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