Trying out the Sunday roast (and more) inside Silicon Roundabout's new gastropub, Old Street Tavern

Looking down into Old Street Tavern

What can you tell us about Old Street Tavern?

This is one of the newest pub openings from Urban Pubs & Bars, who are behind the hugely popular pubs like The Gun in Spitalfields and who recently took over The Highbury Barn in Islington. They also run all the Salt Yard restaurants. For this latest opening, they took on a pretty massive endeavour. You may remember this location in the past as Serata Hall, which was more of a bar and restaurant. It's now been transformed it into a gorgeous new gastropub, straddling a traditional tavern with a modern hangout.

Where can I find it?

It's just off the Old Street roundabout, mere steps from the main Old Street tube exit, right beside Grind. 

It's a large space, but one that's been given a very impressive pub makeover. So they've put in new wooden panelling, a large bar space and plenty of tall tables if you're popping in for a drink. But there's a distinct dining area if you're staying for a meal (including a large room upstairs that can be hired out). They have a few spaces outside at the front of the building, but it's also well worth knowing about the big terrace at the back. If you're looking last minute for a pub with a hidden terrace, this should be on your radar.

And they are, of course, showing all the World Cup games.

The various spaces in the bar, including the big terrace which you'll find out the back (which is handily covered too). 

What's on the menu here?

The menu here is a casual affair with a particular focus on British produce. So you'll find popular favourites like their soy and maple-glazed pork belly bites, beef shin pie and smash burgers. They also do a great line in lunchtime sandwiches, with crispy chicken wraps alongside fish fingers or sausage sandos with fries. Those are all under £15, which makes it a very handy lunch if you live or work nearby. 

We had a few snacks when we visited:

Garlic & chilli tiger prawns on toasted sourdough (£11)

Crispy fried squid with spring onion, chilli, aioli (£9.50)

But the main event for us, as we were visiting on a Sunday, was all about the Sunday lunch and from our experience, it's definitely one of their strengths. The choice available is either a 35-day grass-fed sirloin of beef, Duroc pork belly or White Cobb free-range chicken. But we're not great at making choices, and if you're also the same, there's a perfect option here - the trio roast:

The Trio Roast, which combines chicken, pork and beef all into one Sunday lunch (£28.50 including all the trimmings).

It really is a very good Sunday lunch, and we reserve particular praise for the excellent, crunchy roast potatoes. These are surprisingly hard for restaurants and pubs to get right, in our experience, but the ones at Old Street Tavern were top-notch. 

After two huge Sunday roasts we only had room for only one dessert to share:

A very good sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce (£7.50)

Anything else to look out for?

Because we were in for the Sunday lunch, we didn't manage to try their other key offering, the pizzas, which we've been hearing good things about. Neapolitan style, they include a traditional margherita as well as the Salamino piccante (tomato base, pepperoni, oregano, mozzarella, £15), the capricciosa (tomato base, fior di latte, porchetta, mushrooms, kalamata olives, artichokes, £14.50) and a vegan option too. 

The pizzas at Old Street Tavern (their photo)

What about drinks?

It is a pub, so there's a lot on offer, from the beers at the bar (including Beavertown, Brixton and, of course, Guinness) as well as a lot of no/low alcohol beers by the bottle and Lucky Saint on tap. Cocktails are all classics and around the £13 mark (with a few low/no options here too), while wines start at £29.50, with many bottles £40 and under. 

Overall thoughts

Set in a space which is extremely handy for anyone travelling through Old Street station, the folks behind Old Street Tavern have successfully managed to create a buzzy gastropub that's warm and friendly, despite its large footprint. And, somehow, they've made it look like the pub has been here for years. That winning combo of great front-of-house service and a kitchen that keeps up with a large menu makes this well worth knowing about if you're in the area.