"Like your friend who’s amazing at celebrity impressions but not so much when it comes to basic maths, some people just aren’t all-rounders. The Bull & Gate, a handsome Kentish Town pub, is like that. It’s got multiple, gorgeous rooms, some are very, ‘Colonel Mustard with the lead pipe in the library’, and others have soaring domed ceilings where cornices and dangly chandeliers place it firmly into the ‘nice pint’ category. Chesterfield-adjacent sofas are flopped onto and there’s much back slapping by friends who’ve taken gap years and appreciate the Byron Bay beer on tap. When it comes to food, the roast is decent, but other dishes aren’t as good, and the pasta is bad. Still, the room is pretty so it’s well worth stopping by for a pint. But just stick to that. Food Rundown photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Dingly Dell Pork Belly This is a solid roast. The potatoes are nicely seasoned, the pork has some crisped-up fat, and the carrots are caramelised and sweet. If you’re coming here for Sunday lunch, you’ll more than likely leave totally satisfied, if not blown away. photo credit: Sinéad Cranna Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle For pasta not to be even ‘just alright’, something’s gone terribly wrong. The pasta was so firm it still had a crunch to the edge and the cream sauce tasted just like cream, straight from a carton." - Sinéad Cranna
