The Lamb Tavern – re-built some 125 years ago – occupies a prominent Leadenhall Market site with quite a history as a gathering place. The pub’s website claims that, in AD50, this was home to London’s Roman basilica (said to be the largest outside Rome itself). To this day, it is a rendezvous for a voluble group of merchants and citizens, often to be seen clasping pints of a libation known locally as Young’s Bitter.
Until recently, one of the pub’s features was a no-smoking, top-floor bar. Perhaps because – come July – that’s not going to be a ‘feature’ any more, the brewery has taken the opportunity of a recent refurbishment to re-launch the space as a dining room (which was choc-à-bloc the lunchtime we visited).
There’s no poncey nonsense about gastropub-style here. This is just a rather grand pub dining room, in traditional tartan-carpet style (and with a location, looking down on the Market, which is as picturesque as you’ll find). Friendly but slightly amateurish service completes a classically pubby impression.
A proper restaurant-style menu offers a fair degree of choice, including such main-course staples as ‘award-winning’ steak and kidney pies (which are tasty, if not especially generous) and sausage ‘n’ mash. Or you can choose more extravagantly from the grill menu. There are even some salads. There’s quite an extensive wine list, too, for those who wouldn’t prefer a pint.
Admittedly foodie accolades are unlikely to follow any time soon. Everything we tasted was at a competent but unexciting level. But for a convivial, cheapish lunch, the updating of this classic City meeting place has left it with some good mileage in it yet.
