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Tue / Jan 19
Party Earth Review Although named after a Greek demigod and located on Greek Street, Pillars of Hercules is a pure English pub – a quiet place for a pint without the bells and whistles or musclemen seeking to slay the nine-headed... ... read full review
7 Greek Street
London W1D 4DF
Central, Northern Lines: Tottenham Court Road
020 7437 1179
M–Th 11am–11:30pm, F–Sa 11am–midnight, Su noon–10:30pm
Food served daily noon–9pm
Covent Garden / Soho, London –
Although named after a Greek demigod and located on Greek Street, Pillars of Hercules is a pure English pub – a quiet place for a pint without the bells and whistles or musclemen seeking to slay the nine-headed Hydra.
The site of a tavern since the 1700s, the venue has a good bit of history hidden inside its revamped imitation-Tudor façade. Charles Dickens mentions it in A Tale of Two Cities, and modern English novelists like Martin Amis, Clive James, and Ian McEwan spent a good bit of time here penning prose in the 1970s.
Inside, the surprisingly narrow space features English flags and banners hung from the low ceiling and across the back of the bar, which touts a half-dozen hand pumps for cask ales, along with traditional keg standards and a tidy selection of wine.
Chalkboard communiqués with menus and prices litter the walls, as do mirrors and ink engravings of London circa the 1800s.
Tired office workers and laid-back creative types squeeze around the handful of wooden tables, or pop outside for a quick smoke before warming up again with traditional fare like kidney pudding or mac and cheese.
The pub is by no means a party hotspot, but whether it’s the best of times, the worst of times, or all the times between, Pillars of Hercules serves up an authentic English pub experience in the heart of tourist-trap Soho.
Writers and readers, office mates, tourists off the beaten track, casual locals, 20s to late 30s.
Live indie band performs Tu 6–9pm. Bartenders’ playlist all other times, though rarely tuned loud enough to intrude on conversation.
Traditional pub fare like steak and kidney pudding, mac and cheese, burgers, salads, and sandwiches.
Bar snacks £1–£2.50, starters £5+, entrées £10–£14. Beer £3–£5, wine £3.50–£6/glass or £15–£20/bottle, spirits £3–£5.
Casual: jeans, plaid shirts, beanie hats, scruffy artist attire, buttoned-up office wear with the buttons undone.
Mondays for a 3-for-2 discount on beer or Tuesdays for a little live music and a pre-game pint.
Thirst (53 Greek Street) is a cozy corner bar with an extensive cocktail menu and a bumping basement dance floor.
Pillars of Hercules User Reviews