Plaquemine Lock

The story

Plaquemine Lock: Cajun & Creole Gastropub in Islington, London | Michelin Bib Gourmand

The Setting

Plaquemine Lock is a Louisiana gastropub set on the Regent’s Canal in Angel, Islington. It’s an English pub at heart, but the kitchen delivers the bold, smoky, soulful flavours of the American South. The name comes from a real lock in Plaquemine, Louisiana, built at the turn of the twentieth century by Jacob Hortenstein. His great-grandson, Jacob Kenedy, opened this London outpost, bringing a piece of family history to the canal side.

The Food

The menu blends Cajun and Creole classics with British produce, cooked to a high standard in a relaxed, music-filled setting. Brunch is a weekend affair, starting at 11am with Bloody Marys and dishes like fried chicken and pancakes, fresh baked cornbread, and pain perdu with brandy and pecans. Eggs Sardou comes with artichoke, spinach, cornbread and hollandaise, while shrimp and okra gumbo offers depth and swagger. The kitchen also runs a celebrated Happy Hour—weekdays 4–5:45pm and weekends 11am–midday—with three oysters for £4, Southern snacks, and proper cocktails.

Recognition and Atmosphere

Plaquemine Lock holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good quality, good value cooking. Critics have taken note: Fay Maschler called it “a seduction by this Southern belle,” and Jay Rayner described it as “a love letter to Cajun and Creole cookery.” Condé Nast Traveller named it the number one live music bar in London. The weekend line-up swings from Zydeco to swampy blues to funk, keeping the spirit of the Ninth Ward rolling into the night.

Private dining here starts with cocktails, communal oyster shucking, and often ends with Mardi Gras beads flying. The two large murals in the dining room and above the bar are by Haidee Becker, Jacob’s mother. It’s a place where the cooking is serious, the atmosphere is loose, and the good times roll.