This small facade is what you're looking for, the entryway into the tardis-like pub inside.
What is The Black Eel?
It's a new pub that's just opened up in Dalston. It's taken over what was once an F Cooke pie and mash shop, but which has been a lot of other places since its pie and mash days, most recently Draughts gaming bar. Now run by Exale Brewery, it also has an impressive food residency in the shape of Riley's.
Where is it?
You'll find the pub on Kingsland Road, pretty close to Dalston Kingsland station, and less than a five-minute walk from Dalston Junction.
And how does a former pie and mash shop translate into a pub?
If you're unfamiliar with this location in any of its previous guises, you're in for a surprise. From the outside, the pub looks absolutely tiny. The entrance room is particularly pie and mash-coded in its Grade II listed design and that's where you'll find the bar:
The main bar, which really showcases the building's pie and mash past.
You'll be ordering your drinks and food here at the bar but it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to The Black Eel. If you walk through that door at the back of the bar, the whole place opens up into an absolute warren of big spaces that feel much more like a traditional pub:
A look at just some of the spaces inside the pub.
Essentially, it's a lovely pub with enough rooms that you could get completely lost inside. They do say that this is the first time (in recent years at least) that all of the spaces in the building are being used for drinking and dining. Ultimately, it should be easy to find a place to sit, even on a busy weekend.
But the food is a big draw too?
Much as they've done a great job at overhauling the spaces to make it a proper pub, the folk at Exale have also done a very good job organising the food. For that, they've brought in ex-Lagom head chef Billy Fisher to run things with Riley's. That's billed as a Mediterranean-inspired kitchen and while there are clear Med influences, those are also crossed with pub and comfort food classics. Ultimately, it's a menu that feels very at home in a pub setting and it has some real bangers on there.
Here's our pick of the bunch:
Braised Beef Crouquettes (£8) - very, very beefy, with leek and cheddar options available too.
Pork ribs, hot honey, pickles (£9) - perhaps not as fall-off-the-bone as we were hoping, but with great seasoning.
Breaded chicken thighs, nduja butter, ranch dressing (£9) - a contender for our favourite of the night. Essentially, these are huge chicken tenders but also so much more than that, thanks to the use of boneless thighs. We could have happily have ordered plate after plate of these.
Cheeseburger, mustard dressing, onions (£12.50 or double, as pictured, for £15.50). Lagom was known for having one of London's best burgers and this is well up there too. Made with an aged beef patty from HG Walter, it's a great burger.
Fish bun, dill pickles, slaw (£13) - made with fresh haddock and served with hispi cabbage slaw, all in a potato bun from Galeta bakery.
Fried new potatoes, mayo (£6.5) - billed as a small plate on the menu, but pairs extremely well with any of the buns. Wonderfully crunchy, with a near-perfect hand on the seasoning and their own in-house mayo is exceptional too. Even if you're just in for a pint, order these.
And yes, you should specifically save a little room for dessert and make sure to order this:
Basque cheesecake, butterscotch sauce (£7.50) - we've tried many a Basque cheesecake and few manage to carry off the just-set texture that Riley's manages here. We'd maybe like it to be a tiny bit bigger, but it really is a great example of how to do it properly.
There is a separate menu for Sunday lunches, and based on our experience of the main menu, that would be well worth checking out. You'll find roast sirloin, pork belly and roast celeriac on the menu as well as an autumn Eton mess served with poached pear.
Yes, there are beers.
What about drinks?
Being a pub owned by a brewery, the list here is led by Exale beers, as well as Guinness and Adnams cider. There's also a beer flight at £8 for four 1/3 pints, and a pretty good selection of no/low alcohol beers. The cocktails are predominantly classics, priced around £10, while the wine list starts out at a very decent £25 a bottle for the house wine (which changes regularly). There's a Chin Chin Vinho Verde on there for £29 at the time of writing, which seems pretty well priced.
Anything else to mention?
There's a small games room in here too and an extremely striking karaoke room which we completely forgot to take a photo of. Sorry. Oh, and in addition to all the rooms inside, they also have a massive beer garden.
This carries on for a fair bit around the corner. And yes, that is a boat.
Overall thoughts
A new pub in London is always something to celebrate and one that manages to pair an absolute warren of lovely-looking rooms with an excellent pub menu deserves particular high praise. There's already an awful lot to love about Riley's menu, and Billy Fisher's really only just getting started with it. We will 100% be back in again whenever we're in the area and recommend you take a look too. Don't leave without trying those chicken thighs.
More about The Black Eel
Where is it? 41 Kingsland High Street, London E8 2JS
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @theblackeel
Hot Dinners ate as guests of The Black Eel. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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