Always a pessimist when it comes to chain pubs, I was reluctant to walk five metres down the road to the venue for my housemate’s birthday… this wasn’t my idea of where I wanted to spend my Saturday night! But the Grand Union pleasantly surprised me.
Situated between Brixton and Clapham North tube stations, the Grand Union is easy to find. On entering you are immediately confronted by the artistically vintage décor, whether it be the sixties ornaments on the ceiling or flowery yet chic wallpapers lining the bar. In fact, the venue itself could well have been designed by C.S. Lewis – but the interior is largely irrelevant when you walk though the back door (or should that be wardrobe?) and in to the beer garden. A vast expanse of plants and rocks create an oasis of wine clinking calm on the outskirts of Brixton. The area is dominated by four wooden huts on stilts - each named after islands in Thailand – that come equipped with their own patio heaters for those chillier summer afternoons. There are also plenty of benches and tables for those unlucky enough not to have secured a hut.
We decided to head to the Grand Union again on the Sunday afternoon to quench our appetites (and possibly soak up some of the alcohol). I had the meat-free burger - it arrived as a towering construction, resembling an edible version of jenga – just what I was after. The burger had been cooked on a BBQ or grill, blackened on the outside, with just the right amount of crunch, whilst still remaining moist on the inside. The bun was perfectly toasted as well. The only downside for my taste was the vast lettuce leaf, which shrouded the burger like an organic duvet. At around £7 it was good value. We bought an additional bowl of chips, which were, admittedly, a treat – a golden and crispy exterior encasing a fluffy, cloud-light filling.
All in all, I was thoroughly impressed with my weekend spent in Grand Union.