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What's the deal?
Ordinarily, the “scene” around Bank station makes Londoners who don’t work in financial services want to burrow deep underground. Well, The Libertine – a capacious gastropub hidden in the historic vaults under The Royal Exchange – allows people marooned in the City to do just that. Down a tucked-away staircase within the 16th-century trading centre, this handsome boozer, restaurant, and events space unfolds over the labyrinthine caverns that were once the site of raucous, post-work parties, where merchants in need of blowing off steam would gather in the underground vaults to partake in a bit of cheeky “tippling”. There’s even a rumour – perpetuated by the Libertine staff – that these vaults once held a bear, though no one can say who the bear belonged to.
So clearly there’s history in this basement. You can feel it as soon as you walk in: a spiral staircase – leading down from an unassuming antechamber that’s accessed from the street – takes you down into a world of lavishly vaulted ceilings in open brick dating back to a long, long time ago. Oil portraits of unidentified nobles, rich mahogany booths, and black-and-white checked flooring all add to the stately, last-century vibe. There are two frankly capacious dining spaces, with a capacity of 450 altogether.
Given the absurd square footage, it’s difficult for the space to feel buzzing, even if it’s mostly at capacity. That said, there’s something nice about the fact that its size facilitates relatively quiet meals and pub seshes. If you go for a last-minute Sunday roast, say, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to snag a seat – a real rarity in London these days – and, once you’re seated, you needn’t yell over the hubbub in order to be heard. Food-wise, they play it pretty safe – the lunch and dinner menu features your standard “fancy pub grub” configuration of menu items: a risotto; a burger; a veggie burger; a chicken dish; a lamb rump. There’s also a seafood section and a few steak options, should you be so inclined. The Sunday roasts come as a 42-day dry aged beef rump, a chicken supreme, and a Lincolnshire squash pithivier, all served with the requisite trimmings and the option of a treacle syrup sponge pudding for dessert. All in all, a very pleasant place to wile away an afternoon – as long as you aren’t attached to the idea of a pub having windows.
What should I eat?
The scallops St. Jacques come in threes, seared and breaded in parmesan crumb then doused in seaweed garlic butter and presented prettily in their shells. A textural delight and just indulgent enough as an appetiser.
And, before your appetiser, have a snack why don’t you? The aubergine crisps are delightful – thin, flavour-bomb wisps of aubergine caked in batter and drizzled with maple syrup, with a thyme and tomato chutney served alongside. Straight up addictive.
The time to eat at the Libertine is Sunday, when their roasts are on. Choose between the 42-day dry-aged rump (basted with thyme and garlic beurre noisette), the butter-based chicken supreme, or the squash pithivier, layered with veggies and sage mustard and served in flaky pastry. The trimmings – maple glazed carrots, garlicky greens, rosemary roast potatoes, parsnip puree, Bordeaux red wine gravy, and assuringly enormous Yorkshire puddings – are layered on, too.
Why should I go?
For a fancied-up Sunday lunch in a cool setting.
Why should I go?
For a fancied-up Sunday lunch in a cool setting.
££££
1 Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3LL
libertinelondon.co.uk