Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 35 and Version 34 of Edgar Wallace, WC2R 3JF

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* [http://fancyapint.com/pub/601 Fancyapint review]
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Good Beer Guide pub near Aldwych. (Note that they're closed on weekends, like many other pubs in the area.)

The main bar on the ground floor is fairly small, with a mix of seating including a comfy leather sofa. It generally starts to fill up between 5pm and 5:30pm every evening (we've not been there at lunchtimes, but it may well be busy then as well). On our last visit, in November 2008, there was only one (small) table left at 5:15pm, and it went five minutes later, though later in the evening it quietens down a fair bit. There's also a bookable function room upstairs, which can seat about 20 comfortably, and has a limit of 45 people due to fire regulations.

This is a must-visit location for fans of real ale. bob describes the beer as "very drinkable" - high praise indeed. They have eight handpumps, which are usually all in use, and even their own house beer, Edgar's Pale Ale (it's basically Nethergate IPA with extra hops). They're very keen on guest ales, and usually have several on in a range of styles. One nice touch is that the pump clips of the next beers in line are displayed on the wall next to the handpumps. Beer lists for the current and previous months are available on their website, and are kept nicely up to date.

Beers available on our March 2008 visit were Adnams Bitter (£2.85), Edgar's Pale Ale (£2.85), Nelson Trafalgar (£3.05), Wooden Hand Cornish Mutiny (£3.15), Mauldons Moletrap (£2.90), Shepherd Neame Masterbrew (£2.95), Wooden Hand Black Pearl (£3.10), and Salopian Abbey Gates (£3.05). Three of these ran out during the evening and were promptly replaced by three others whose names we failed to note down.

As of November 2008, food is served 11am-10pm Monday to Friday. It's provided by AP Catering, a franchised catering business, and is pretty good; although the selection may look fairly standard, it's all very well executed, and they have specials too (written on a blackboard by the bar).

In March 2008, Kake tried the chicken schnitzel with herb mash, chunky tomato salsa, and creamy mushroom sauce (£8); it was good, with tender chicken and a good flavour to all the components - and a very nice twist on generic pub food. The menu had changed by the time of our June 2008 visit; this time I had the mozzarella and roast vegetable panini (£5.50 including chips and salad) photo; it was well-presented, nice and hot and obviously freshly made, and the chips were particularly good.

[[bob], elvum, Claire and Richard visited in July 2010 after a change in management. The change in management hadn't seem to have changed anything there is still a large choice of good beer and the food was still very goodphotos.

Accessibility: A step up to get in, and the toilets are up a flight of stairs.

See also:

Getting here: Come out of Temple Station, turn to your left and go up the steps, cross over the crossing and turn right. At the end of the road there's a little lane going off to your left, marked off with bollards. Go along here, and up the steps at the end. This is Essex Street; the Edgar Wallace is just a little way up on the right, on the corner of Devereux Court.
Last visited by bob, elvum and others, 26 July 2010. Opening hours taken from the 2008 Good Beer Guide and updated from the Edgar Wallace website, October 2007. Lack of weekend opening verified January 2008. Food times taken from board outside, November 2008.

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