The Holborn area is littered with a great selection of after-work pubs and bars, most of which don’t have to go to great stretches to enjoy a steady stream of punters throughout the week in this busy, business-laden pocket of central London. The Yorkshire Grey stands a little further back from the crowd, on the corner of Theobalds Road and Grays Inn Road. I headed down on a Friday evening to give the recently-refurbished Yorkshire Grey a try for myself.
The Venue
The Yorkshire Grey has stood on the relatively quiet backstreets of Holborn since 1877. The outside of the building has maintained all its original charm of a traditional Victorian pub, with its dark grey exterior panelling and bright, oversized pub lanterns hanging either side of its main doors.
The interiors are bright and spacious, with an additional upstairs private dining room perfect for parties of up to 80 people. The pub has been recently refurbished, creating a more modern feel inside whilst keeping some of the pub’s traditional charm. Bare brick walls, modern hanging lighting and large gilded mirrors set the scene. The bar itself uses rustic wood panelling, complementing the high wooden stools and heavy wooden trestle tables arranged throughout the venue. A warm and laid-back atmosphere is there to greet you and you can quickly settle down to a couple of after-work pints.
The recently refurbished Yorkshire Grey now has an open, modern feel throughout and a great bar area.
Food & Drinks
The Yorkshire Grey has a good spirits selection, including 35 gins, a large whiskey selection, and a great selection of IPAs and beers that you would expect from a good London pub. They have also branched out to feature their own seasonal speciality drinks that they change weekly. First up we tried their house Sangria (£6) - a powerful mix of Vermouth, Cointreau and Licor 43. Regulars to the South of Spain and the Greek Isles will appreciate the holiday feel summoned up by the large bowl-shaped glasses providing a copious volume of this sweet summertime drink. Later on we were also served up their summer twist on at G&T; a fruity Strawberry Gin & Tonic (£8.50).
We’d heard good things about their burgers, so opted for two particularly appealing sounding characters - the “Don’t Kiss Me Burger” (£11.95) with a thick beef patty, strong blue cheese sauce and added bacon, and the boozy “Drunken Chicken Burger” (£11.95), marinated in bourbon. The “Drunken Chicken Burger” could have done with a little more of a hit from the bourbon to make it stand out but the “Don’t a Kiss Me Burger” was a clear winner, with a juicy, perfectly cooked patty topped with their delicious and punchy blue cheese sauce.
Our mammoth burgers had left us just enough room to sample a couple of choices from their dessert menu. The Lemon Tart (£5.50), served with a tangy lime clotted cream, seriously outdid expectations of a pub dessert menu, with a lemon curd filling that was deliciously creamy and a very fine pastry base. Similarly, their Sticky Toffee Pudding (£5.50) summoned up all the warmth and gooeyness you would expect from a good old serving of traditional comfort food.
The Yorkshire Grey's burgers do not disappoint.
The Atmosphere
Good music, friendly staff and chilled out vibes are the defining features of the atmosphere at The Yorkshire Grey.
There’s a combination of long high tables at which to sit, snug alcoves and booth seating to chill out on. They've also managed to keep the feel of a traditional London pub whilst updating to a more modern look. There are board games stacked on shelves in the corner, and room outside on the street should you wish to enjoy your drinks alfresco to soak up any fleeting London sunshine.
Summary
The Yorkshire Grey works perfectly for chilled-out after-work drinks, a convenient first date spot or as a place to quickly pop in to pick up a great burger at any point in the day. My advice? Escape the crowded throng of the pubs closer to Fleet Street and the City, and head to the Yorkshire Grey for good food, a nice atmosphere and a well-stocked bar.
