Tapping into the brew-pub market with establishments along the UKs Southern coast, Brewhouse & Kitchen is the independent pub group putting craft beer on London's map.
The Venue
Sitting in Highbury corner, quite literally tucked away just off the roundabout, you'll find this Brewhouse & Kitchen boasting a neat outdoor terrace area making it a favourite hangout among the after-work crowd. Inside, it has all the brew-pub trimmings you'd expect with massive, gleaming copper stills at the back of the restaurant. With an in-house microbrewery, their beer collection is extensive with dozens of taps behind the bar. The space emits the sort of rustic character typical of a brewhouse but with contemporary touches like wooden barrels reused and turned into tables.
The beer tanks in all their shiny glory.
The Food & Drink
Beer. Naturally. But Beertails? Tell me more. 1 x Brewhouse Iced Tea (£6.75): all the usual suspects topped with a house bitter to add some (extra) punch. 1x Espresso Brew (£6.75): an obvious play on the Espresso Martini. Sub the vod for Tia Maria and top up with Dry Stout for a cool, sharp edge to this coffee-laced favourite.
FOOD. It had to be the Whole Beer Can Chicken (£25.50). Obvs. With a choice of BBQ, Garlic & Herb or Spicy Jerk we went for BBQ, and it came with the motherload of all BBQ sauciness smothered all over it. Turning several heads as it went and having people interrupt us stuffing our faces to ask how it was - it was clearly good. Roasted and infused with Brewhouse's own beer, the chicken falls apart and comes on a bed of fries and grilled corn. I went for The Goalscorer IPA (£4.00) to go with, whilst my companion had the No Fly Zone Lager (£3.80), both of which were made in their own microbrewery. Starters and sides came thick and fast: mini baked camembert (£6.75), onion rings and garlic flatbread made the meal an epic feast.
Congratulations, it's a chicken!
The Atmosphere
There's a real social atmosphere here, whether you're down for dinner or to see away their craft beer collection, the space suits people after a laid-back evening. It has all the buzzing vibes you associate with your traditional boozer but just a little more refined - think less propped at the bar and more bums on seats. The service is pretty on point too, from the menu that matches the perfect beer with your food to the attentive bar staff.
Perfect for some alfresco beers when the sun shines.
The Summary
Pubbing classics with a Brewhouse edge characterises this place. They do craft beer justice with a well-stocked bar and microbrewing set-up that churns out a strong range of their own label beer. More than satisfying on the food front too, this Brewhouse & Kitchen gets the seal of approval.
