The website of Hampstead’s boozer namechecks its affectionate moniker ‘the king willie,’ and now a Kensal Green favourite – built in 1837, the year of his death – has demoted the poor old Royal to just The William.
No matter, because locals are delighted to see the old chap back and spruced up by Loci Pubs, owned by the Hampstead brothers Ben and Ed Robson, and schoolmate Adam Gostyn, who rescued The Clifton in Maida Vale, Hampstead’s The Duke of Hamilton, and The Alliance in West Hampstead from closure.
The quartet behind The William Ben Robson, Scott Soteriou, Adam Gostyn and Ed Robson (Image: Loci Pubs)
With pubs all over under threat from declining use and bad management, their mission to transform once-loved watering holes into proper locals with good food and nice surroundings is one we can all get behind.
Located on Harrow Road, opposite Kensal Green’s historic cemetery The William has always been a venue for wakes, but many a Kensal dweller has celebrated birthdays, weddings and Christenings there too.
The William has had a name tweak, a nice blue exterior paint job and redecoration inside. (Image: Loci Pubs)
Trendy in the noughties with the Notting Hill set, of late it’s been passed around, somewhat unloved – the upstairs turned into a hotel, with the downstairs inexplicably painted an unwelcoming black.
Loci have given it a smart blue exterior paint job and restored the pale greens and soft lamp-lighting, adding a marble-topped end bar with a cosy fire. But the layout and huge front tables are the same, it’s great for a large group enjoying a drink and bar snacks, with a quieter rear dining area.
The menu is a real crowd pleaser – but everything was executed perfectly.
The welcoming interior with big tables for sharing plates with a group of friends. (Image: Loci Pubs)
Sharing plates include black pudding scotch egg or a generous portion of buttermilk fried chicken (with a choice of dips) that had the perfect crunchy carapace and soft interior.
Carbonara croquettes were crispy wedges with comforting cheesy filling, and a mushroom tart had crisp base topped with the fungi, creme fraiche, and a smoked egg – adding a welcome flavour dimension.
Mains include chicken schnitzel, a warming pie, slow roast pork belly, or as a retro chip shop experience, Haddock, fries, mushy peas and curry sauce on the side.
The menu is a crowd pleaser with plenty of sharing plates and hearty pub food with a twist (Image: Loci Pubs)
We went for a very decent medium rare cheeseburger, in a potato bun, with smoky Monterey Jack cheese and good chips which I dunked into that fruity, spicy, curry sauce.
A bavette steak was perfectly done with a tongue-tingling peppercorn sauce and mustardy leaves, washed down with a lovely house red. Dessert was a very good sticky toffee pudding – not too sweet – and another successful flavour diversion, a cheesecake with soft prunes and bergamot/Earl Grey sauce.Just weeks after opening The William’s Sunday roasts are already popular (Image: Loci Pubs)
After many a middling meal in a gastropub, you realise pub food is harder than it looks to get right. The guys at The William know what they are doing. The Duke of Hamilton’s roasts are legendary and apparently The William’s Sunday are already taking off – a good excuse to give this right royal boozer a try.