Ridiculously Ambitious Birthday Plans

This year my ridiculously ambitious birthday plans involve visiting all 6 pubs nominated for CAMRA North London Pub of the Year between noon (when most of them open) and 6:30 (family-suitable dinner reservations).  This wouldn't be much of a task if all of these pubs were in close proximity -- say, all within Hampstead or all within Islington -- but they're not. They are spread across all of North London, from Kentish Town to Hornsey to Stoke Newington. None are in Hampstead.

To elevate the task to the ridiculous, I've added a couple of non-candidate pubs to the list as options. These are pubs of high repute that are close to the six candidate pubs, but that are located in areas that otherwise make them inconvenient for me to visit. I have also chosen a pub to end the day with dinner that is not a candidate and is not particularly reputed as a pub-qua-pub, but which is highly rated by the The Good Food Guide 2011.

So without further ado, here's where I plan to spend my 47th birthday, in this order, and here's a link to a Google map showing them all:

The Southampton Arms

Kentish Town

Time Out says, “The idea behind this terrific place is audaciously simple: take a grim old boozer and strip it back to bare floors, dark paint, a few old photos and a working fireplace. . . . Drinking here is a bit like dropping in on an old friend who lives in a slightly shabby but utterly comfortable country cottage. It's a brilliant idea perfectly executed.” The pub has 18 handpumps, pouring exclusively ale and cider from small, independent U.K. breweries.

Transport:  London Overground, Finchley Road & Frognal to Gospel Oak. Walk to 139 Highgate Rd. (5 minutes/0.3 miles).

Optional Non-Candidate Stop: The Pineapple

A former local CAMRA Pub of the Year and a Real Heritage Pub. Saved by local activists in 2002 from conversion to offices and flats.

Transport: Walk from The Southampton Arms to 51 Leverton St. (11 minutes/0.5 miles).

North Nineteen

Upper Holloway

A “steak and ale” house, North Nineteen has two separate bars, with three real ales in the front bar and six in the back bar. Also known for its selection of whiskies.  Time Out calls it a “gem of a makeover” in an otherwise drab neighborhood.

Transport: Tube to Archway (Northern Line, High Barnet Branch). Walk to 194-196 Sussex Way (15 minutes/0.8 miles).

Three Compasses

Hornsey

Two-time winner of CAMRA National Community Pub of the Year and Local Branch Pub of the Season. The current building dates from 1896 and was extensively refurbished in 2004.

Transport: Walk NE on Sussex Way from North Nineteen to Bavaria Rd (Stop M) (1 min/300 ft). Take Bus 91 to Hornsey Rise. From Stop K, take Bus 41 towards Tottenham Hale to Tottenham Lane/Turnpike Lane. Walk 2 blocks west to 62 High Street.

Optional Non-Candidate Stop: The Salisbury

Harringay

One of the few Grade II* listed pubs in London and a Top 10 Heritage Pub. Built in 1899 in lavish high Victorian style, the pub’s original features—both interior and exterior—have been preserved, and the building was meticulously restored in 2003.

Jolly Butchers

Stoke Newington

Jolly Butchers was reinvented and reopened last April to great acclaim from both the beer community and the wider drinking public—although the fact that its new incarnation was openly modeled on The Southampton Arms did put some noses out of joint. Jolly Butchers has ten handpumps, typically pouring seven cask ales and three ciders, all from independent craft breweries.

Transport:

·         From Three Compasses: Walk east to Turnpike Lane Station. From stop Y, take Bus 67 towards Aldgate Bus Station; get off at Stoke Newington Station. Walk south to 204 Stoke Newington High St. (5 min/0.2 miles).

·         From The Salisbury: Walk east on St. Ann’s Rd. to St. Ann’s Hospital bus stop (10 min./0.5 miles); take Bus 67 as above.

The Duke of Wellington

Dalston

The Duke of Wellington was established in 1842, and its most recent refurbishment in 2009 was intended to bring it into the 21^st century while respecting its tradition. CAMRA North London’s Pub of the Season for Spring 2010.

Transport: From Stoke Newington Station, Stop C, take Bus 149 or 67 to Dalston Junction Station. From station, walk west to 119 Balls Pond Rd. (5 min/0.2 miles).

Optional Non-Candidate Stop: The Wenlock Arms

Islington

Consistently rated one of the best pubs in London by Beer Advocate, is a 4-time CAMRA North London Pub of the Year, and was named a Top Ten pub by Fancyapint in February 2011. The pub was slated for demolition last October; it was saved, but as of February it remained up for sale and its future is uncertain.

Transport: From Duke of Wellington, walk west on Balls Pond Rd to Southgate Rd. Bus Stop. Take Bus 56 (St. Barts) to Angel Station; walk to 26 Wenlock Rd (15 min/0.6 miles).

The Charles Lamb

Islington

The only pub on this list I have already been to, this is an exceptionally charming little pub, unfortunately located across from atrocious blocks of modern flats. The building dates from 1839, but it has only recently been converted to use as a public house and few original features remain. The Charles Lamb Lager is brewed locally by Meantime.

Transport: See Wenlock Arms above.

For Dinner (Non-Candidate): The Albion

Islington

Joint highest rating of London gastropubs from the 2011 Good Food Guide and rated one of the U.K.’s best pubs by The Guardian. Particularly well known for its Sunday lunch menu (the main meal of the week in England).

Transport: Return to Angel Station. Cross Upper St. and head NW on Liverpool Rd to Richmond; W on Richmond; N on Thornhill to 10 Thornhill Rd. (13 min/0.6 miles from Angel).