The story
On Stoke Newington Church Street, The Clarence Tavern does what a great modern pub should: it feeds and waters its neighbours with genuine skill. The kitchen turns out seasonal British cooking that draws equal inspiration from the larder and the wine list – one of the more thoughtful natural wine selections in the area, available both at the table and to take away from the adjoining wine shop.
The food is precise and unfussy. Lunch might bring ricotta gnudi with grezzina courgettes, mint and salted ricotta, or a slow-cooked lamb for two with gratin dauphinois. Dinner swings from kataifi fried feta with honey and walnuts to onglet, chips and anchovy-olive butter. There is always a daily specials board, posted on Instagram, and dishes run out early – a good sign. The set lunch (two courses for £21) is a clever midweek option, while Sunday lunch draws crowds for classics like rump of beef or Dover sole.
The cooking is underpinned by a respect for producers: Westcombe cheddar, sustainable seafood, seasonal fruit for puddings like apricots with mascarpone and heather honey. Even the children’s menu gets proper attention – fish fingers, chips and peas, or pasta with tomato sauce and parmesan.
The Clarence Tavern earned a Michelin Recommended nod in the 2026 guide – not for white tablecloths, but for doing pub food at a level that demands attention. The atmosphere is relaxed, the pace set by the kitchen and the bar. It works for a quick after-work glass of something interesting or a long, unhurried dinner with friends.
Beyond the main dining room, the team runs a wine shop that opens alongside the pub, and the space is available for private dining and events – including weddings. The pub also offers vouchers, making it a thoughtful gift for anyone who appreciates good eating and drinking in London.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Stripped back in terms of both decor and dining, this Stoke Newington sibling of the Canton Arms and The Anchor & Hope is the embodiment of everything you’d expect from a London dining pub. Straightforward, concise cooking from Harry Kaufman’s kitchen puts quality ingredients at the heart of things and lets them sing for their supper. In a salad starter, rich, unctuous confit duck is paired with fresh leaves, crisp radish and buttery broad beans, while a plate of chicken livers on sourdough toast is a bear hug of a dish, with the huge earthiness of the offal and cooking liquor balanced by the spicy tang of wild garlic. To follow, more ramsons – this time as a light, bright, herbal sauce served over homemade cavatelli and dressed simply with sharp, salty pecorino. Elsewhere, braised rabbit is sweet, succulent and served on the bone, with crisp saffron potatoes soaking up the gamey broth beneath. Desserts are as classic as treacle tart and chocolate mousse. The tart is tar-sticky, loaded with dark sugar and a slight bitterness, while the silky sweetness of the mousse is tempered by the savoury crackle of crumbled peanut brittle, and a big, milky dob of crème fraîche. To drink, there are all the beery trappings you’d expect of a proper pub, and a wine selection you wouldn’t. A sprawling list leans heavily towards France and Italy and rarely leaves European soil, featuring a dozen or so options by the glass and a similar number of magnums, should a casual dinner need to turn into a grand occasion. An inviting, satisfying local, with a hearty menu to match.
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