The Wells

Off to posh suburban Hampstead Heath for a weekend stroll, and what better way to go about this than filling our stomachs at this cosy pub.

Food

The menu was one of those where you just want to order everything. We finally settled on Natural Smoked Haddock, Champ Potatoes and Poached Egg with Mustard Beurre Blanc (£13.50), which was delicious. I still haven’t got enough of champ yet and wonder why it’s not on more menus. I actually preferred the sides to the main deal in the Wild Fallow Venison Haunch with Curly Kale, Butternut Puree, Crispy Parsnip and Blackberry Game Jus (£14.95)…don’t get me wrong, the venison was cooked just right, but I love kale…and pumpkin…and parsnip, so what can I say. The Roast Angus Sirloin Beef with Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, Roasted Root Vegetables, Greens and Gravy (£15.95) was one of the best I’ve had. The Yorkshire was nice and crisp, and the roast was juicy and not tough at all.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

It was really crowded inside, with groups of locals it seems – as some have even brought their dogs along, and babies seem to abound. We didn’t book as it was a last minute decision to go, but instead of waiting for a table, we decided to take advantage of the weather to sit outside. They turned on the heaters for us, but it really didn’t do much in the cold...Even though we were cold, it did allow us to observe the neighbourhood – and just how neighbourly it is compared to where I live now.

Rating - 2

Service

The service was excellent. They made us feel welcomed and were flexible enough to cater to our wishes of sitting outside (well the fact that everyone else followed our lead meant they probably doubled their usual business) and making us as comfortable as possible. They knew we weren’t be able to attract attention easily, so brought us everything we needed (including the bill!) so we never had to get up to do anything.

Rating - 4

C-factor

I expected a bigger serving for the price, but we are in Hampstead afterall, so you would expect to pay more.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 14

Info

30 Well Walk
London
NW3 1BX
Phone +44 (0) 20 7794 3785
Website