LONDON | Just out the back entrance of the Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch is Beagle London. Since 2013, Beagle has offered the best of British cooking in an area better known for its Vietnamese restaurants. The namesake of the restaurant is the old Beagle steamer that used to run on the tracks now used by the London Overground. A fitting name, for if it were still running today you could be outside of Beagle in a matter of minutes given the handy location of the restaurant beside Hoxton station.
Upon walking into the restaurant, we were immediately impressed by the industrial yet beautiful design. The décor is upcycled, and in fact the floors are made from reclaimed wood from a railway car. The vibe is East London cool, high ceilings, slightly distressed, and super trendy looking staff.
We’ve heard a few tales of people spending an extended afternoon at Beagle after starting on the Bloody Marys so we were happy to start on the cocktail list to kick off a Friday evening. The helpful, knowledgeable bartender helped us navigate the cocktail list and made a few spot on recommendations. Considering the high quality and unique concoctions, we were impressed that many craft cocktails landed on the £9.00 mark.
The Drinks
Our first was the Fuego Manzana (£8.50), which contained blanco tequila, apples, chilli, agave, and lime. The other was aptly named Krank (£9.00), with scotch, vermouth, ginger liqueur, and rhubarb bitters. Both were very tasty and balanced, with the Krank being the kind of drink one craves after a long week with the right amount of kick to put the stress of the week behind you.
The Meal
At the helm of Beagle’s quality menu is head chef James Ferguson. His impressive CV includes time at The Connaught, L’Escargot, and Rochelle Canteen. The Beagle menu changes constantly meaning it’s seasonal and fresh. All the meat on the menu is free range and the produce is of the highest quality, which you notice in every dish. We started our meal with a variety of starters including fresh Bread and Butter (£2.50), Dungarvan Rock Oysters (£3.00 each). The grilled Peach and Perroche salad (£6.50) was absolutely divine. The combination of fruit, nut and cheese was spot on from a texture and taste perspective.
We had a taste for a vegetarian option and the fresh Tagliatelle (£14.00) hit the spot. The Wing Rib (£22.50) was a special recommended by the friendly, helpful waitress. It was exactly as she described – succulent and tender. For sides we went with the duck Fat Chips (£4.50) and sweet corn (£4.00).
During our meal we enjoyed a lovely wine from Beagle’s extensive and unique wine list. We were very pleased with our choice of Herdade Penedo Gordo Tinto from Portugal (£22.00). It had a nice spicy aroma with a smooth fruity finish that we’ve come to expect from Portuguese wines. We enjoyed it so much in fact, that we have since tracked it down in a local wine shop.
Beagle was an excellent choice for kicking off our weekend with friendly service, and fun atmosphere and great food. Beagle boosts outdoor seating that can stand up to the elements – the outdoor space is equipped with a retractable roof and plenty of heat lamps. It’s helpful to note that Beagle always keep a few tables open for walk-ins so it’s definitely an option for an impromptu meal in Hoxton. Beagle also offers a coffee service and brunch/lunch, so don’t be surprised if you find us there on an upcoming weekend.
Beagle
397-400 Geffrye Street
London E2 8HZ
United Kingdom
Telephone: 0207 613 2967
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.beaglelondon.co.uk/
Open
Mon – Fri: 12:00pm to 12:00am
Sat – Sun: 11:00am to 12:00am