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Torriano, Kentish Town

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user reviews of the Torriano, Kentish Town

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Now the Rose and Crown. A worthy representative of this most quickly gentrifying of neighbourhoods. The food borders on the fancy - tacos and nachos with a foodie twist - and the ale selection is bettered by the craft offerings - a pint of peanut butter stout was pretty divine. A good space and not too large.
BoehmBawerk - 25 Mar 2018 17:05
Comedy nights are great. An Irish comedian, Simon, is normally on the bill and can be a right chortle !!
tortoise68 - 28 Jun 2011 12:09
This is a great pub - it's like sitting in a good friend's lounge. Really friendly people.. great crowd. I don't care if it looks tatty around the edges.
JdsNW3 - 4 Jun 2010 12:03
I was quite surprised to see that the reviews for this place were patchy at best. I came here about 4 months ago and was pretty impressed with a lot of things they do pretty differently. The milkshakes is a great idea, I rarely do not drink alcohol when in a pub but I'd like a better choice if I don't want to. Also the crepes were ace and a great pub food, all sorts of flavours and dietary types catered for and really cheap. I didn't think the tattiness (which is only slight anyway) was a tendency to be hip but there again who knows. I guess a lot of people go to gastro pubs these days and whereas it is true that the service and the food and drink in those places is generally excellent I often find that there is no vibe whatsoever and sometimes the whole experience is horribly clinical, the Torriano was a welcome opposite of that. Also great, great tunes being played.
JohnMcC - 24 Dec 2009 21:00
I know this pub has had to fend off an application for redevelopment of its site in the past few years, and appears to have done so successfully (I think). It obviously has a keen local following, but I'm afraid I couldn't see what the fuss was about. It has a small rectangular interior with a central bar. The pub is in very tatty condition: this is, I suspect, intended to look "hip" but I'm afraid I thought just looked scruffy. Ale-wise there were two handpumps, but only one dispensing ale: Pedigree. I had a couple of pints of the lager instead, which was fine. Food-wise a very limited offering consisting largely of sweet and savoury crepes. I had a ham and brie crepe which took ages to arrive and wasn't that great. I'm afraid I found this a lazily run place content to rely on what is no doubt a small but devoted local following.
grecian - 21 Jul 2009 09:50
Disappointing really. My wife and I have lived near this pub for years and never found the time to go in. We found the service poor, and the drinks expensive. My ale tasted funny, and the spritzer my wife ordered was flat and unappetising. When mentioning this to the bar staff both the bearded guy and the blond lady were unfriendly and looked as though they thought we were lying. Don't visit here unless you don't mind poor service and overpriced drinks.
oligearing - 16 Jun 2009 19:50
Love this pub, Friendly people, good beer and an excellent BBQ on a sunday! We should give this pub all of our support.
fro411 - 4 May 2009 17:29
After leaving a very busy pub up the road I was surprised at how quiet this place was for early on a Saturday evening. There was a family sitting behind the island bar tucking into some crepes and a lone gentleman was sitting at the bar staring into space. There was also a couple sitting in the small courtyard down the stairs at the rear of the building. The hot plate that the crepes are cooked on is located on the bar and the barman was doubling up as the chef. They looked and smelt nice, but I didn�t like drinking in what in effect had become a kitchen and I thought that the condiments and sauces lined along the bar made an already unkempt looking pub look more untidy.

Pedigree was the ale option, but the surroundings gave me the impression that it wouldn�t be very good so I decided to give it a miss, although my judgement may have been totally misplaced as my pint of Guinness was very nice. Standard lagers and Hoegarden were also available and the barman was a pleasant enough chap who seemed very happy in his work which, along with the chill-out music, gave a relaxed atmosphere.

Unfortunately I had to use the toilet and have to report that there is no lock on the gent�s door and there hasn�t been for some time as the old lock holes are painted over. They could also do with a clean as there are so many spiders I thought that I was having a dump in the woods.

I spotted some paraphernalia laying around the pub mentioning the proposed flat development on the site and although this place isn�t my cup of tea and I can�t see myself returning I would like to wish them all the best against the money grabbing developers.
Strongers - 27 Apr 2009 08:40
The Torriano is a great little local pub with a fun, laid-back atmosphere.

The friendly, dedicated management team have just refurbished the downstairs room and opened it as the 'Live Lounge' which is available to hire for FREE. I've been there the last two weekends and highly recommend it for parties. Book early, it's becoming highly sought after as a venue for birthdays, gigs, etc. Check out the 'We love Torriano' Facebook group for live music and DJ nights the mnagement are hosting.

There's also a garden at the back with a barbeque in the summer and the quiz on a Monday evening is popular and only �2 to enter.


ClaireBurtwistle - 29 Feb 2008 22:04
good friendly pub, always enjoy a pint in there, recomended!
drinkapint - 18 Jan 2008 15:59
Cosy, eclectic, and not trying to be anything but itself, The Torriano is an excellent place, off the beaten track, that caters to locals and casual passersby alike. A good range of cocktails, half-decent wine and the occasional toasted sandwich go a long way to making this one of my favourite places. Sunday evenings can be fun as there is often a nearby poetry event so sit and watch, listen to and laugh at the conversations of the participants who come in after it is finished. It also has an excellent beer garden. And is under threat from delvelopers who want to turn it into flats. Could someone perhaps point them towards the excellent residentential potential of the nearby Lord Stanley?
Dannysigma - 15 Jan 2008 10:53
When I first came here, it was a rather gloomy and tatty place full of mothers, dogs and unsupervised kids chasing ballons. The beers were all off and I left after 1 expensive pint. Before I had a chance to place a comment someone had mentioned that it had been done up so I held back to give it a second chance. Whilst the interior is now a bit brighter with the black walls now painted in paler colours, it still looks shabby and little has changed from my initial impressions. Situated well off the beaten track the Torriano (or just the T according to the designer pub sign) comes over as an old local�s boozer that tried to jump on the good ship Trendy but forgot to put some sails on the mast. It all looks a bit of a mess and a clash of styles and eras with furnishings that look like they have come from second hand shops and car boot sales. A selection of worn sofas and battered tables is complemented by lights and vases that your granny used to take down the charity shop. The fireplace looks rather forlorn and the bar seems to be a DIY half-a-job. To some it may have a certain charm but to me it all looks as uncomfortable and univiting as the bare concrete floor. Both Ales (Pride and Marstens Pedigree) were off (again) and which really sealed its fate in my �Don�t Bother Again� book.
RogerB - 23 Nov 2007 12:25
According to CAMRA this nice little pub is under grave threat from closure, for conversion into flats. There are clearly not enough flats in Kentish Town.

Get there while you still can.
tuppence - 25 Jul 2007 13:38
Even more cosy now that they have redecorated
tosh - 28 Nov 2006 13:25
Cracking bar in an area bereft of decent drinking holes. A bit pricey but decent selection of drinks. Very atmospheric at dusk with candles and a real fire. (Another rarity) Shame on Jon Snow and the NIMBYS round the corner who objected to a late licence.
Shelders - 22 Jan 2006 10:49
Nice enough place and would echo the comment about the (red-headed) barmaid. Very mixed clientele due to the location. This place would be better suited for Primrose Hill but I'm glad it is my local.
BobbyPeru - 21 Oct 2005 21:06
Hmmmmmmmm, what have we here? A nice-looking pub (and a particularly nice-looking barmaid when I was last there) but its in a nasty part of Tufnell Park and soon filled-up with council estate rough's and their kiddies who sprawled over the chairs like they owned the place. The garden down the stairs at the back is odd and cute but only a two-pinter if you happen to be passing.
anonymous - 1 Aug 2005 11:23
I love it in here. Very sweet little set up.
Mildred - 13 May 2005 13:36
One of my favourite places in the world. Wood burning fireplace, great full english breakfasts on Sunday, incredibly friendly bar staff and wonderful BBQ in the summer. Can't think of a single bad thing to say about this, most neighborhoody, of bars.
tmattoneill - 20 Dec 2004 16:47
What a strange little place this is. Ok for a quick pint or two but not much more, could not stand the excitment(NOT).
wmon - 2 Dec 2004 12:01
great boozer. friendly people, good drinks.
stoichkov - 1 Dec 2004 12:13

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