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Shaftesbury Tavern — Bars in London

Shaftesbury Tavern

BarsLondon

4.5 out of 5 stars4.5(618 reviews)

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Quick info

+44 20 7272 7950
534 Hornsey Rd, Finsbury Park, London N19 3QN, United Kingdom

About Shaftesbury Tavern

On Hornsey Rd, Shaftesbury Tavern is a Victorian pub with a Thai food menu running alongside pub fare, including Pad Thai and Lab Gai. The two-room layout separates a main bar from a back function room, where a piano, fireplace, and sofas sit apart from the etched mirrors and glass partitions of the front area. Sunday roasts round out the food offering, with roast beef, roast lamb, and a nut roast option. Cask ales rotate alongside Guinness at the bar. Outside seating sits on the front patio close to Hornsey Road. The pub takes walk-ins, with no reservation process to navigate. Sweetcorn fritters also appear on the menu, filling out a kitchen that spans Thai dishes and traditional pub food under one roof.

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Menu & Prices

71 dishes · mains £5–19
  • Prawn On Toast£7.00
  • Crispy Fried Chicken Wings£7.00
  • Salt & Pepper Squid£7.00
  • Crispy Prawns£7.00
  • Chicken Sticks & Peanut Sauce£7.00
  • Lucky Salt & Pepper Tofu£7.00
See full menu & prices →

Reviews

4.5/5
618 reviews

What reviewers say

Reviewers most often mention thai food, sunday roast, pad thai and cask ales.

5★
408
4★
145
3★
38
2★
14
1★
13

Customer Review Summary

The Thai menu is what reviewers return to most, with several calling it some of the best Thai food in London and one singling out the Lab Gai and another the sweetcorn fritters. Close behind is the Victorian interior, where reviewers describe a beautiful old curved bar, reeded glass and a fireplace, along with friendly staff and a changing range of beers. A piano player in the roast-serving room gave one family the feeling of being at home. The Sunday roast divides opinion: one reviewer praises the roast beef and nut roast, while another found the beef chewy and overcooked, the swede mash undercooked and the roast potatoes more like baked potatoes, and suggests coming midweek for the Thai instead. One reviewer was disappointed that the meal and pint deal did not include the Guinness, and another regretted the removal of the seacider. Another describes staff letting an uninvited, aggressive man stay at a table through an England match after a group complained, and suggests security for big games.

Featured reviews

  • Google user
    “Top london boozer, nice function room Good Guinness. Nice food. North London forever”
  • Google user
    “The Thai food served at the Shaftesbury has always been and still is amazing. Probably some of the best in London and worth a visit just for that. Having been a customer of the pub for the last 3 years, the staff have always been polite and friendly. This made it considerably more frustrating to see how the staff handled a complaint during the England match yesterday. After a man wandered in from the street with his own alcohol, sat down on a table uninvited and then began aggressively berating the group and clearly making them uncomfortable. A member of the group complained to the staff and was clearly distressed, it was a huge shame to see the staff member then allow this man to stay until the end of the match to avoid any personal confrontation. It almost certainly ruined the event for the young group (and the rest of us having to hear and see this happening) and is disappointing to see the lack of care and protection for the pubs patrons. I will return to the pub in the near future but probably won't do for a sporting event. I would strongly recommend investing in security for big games and events. That would change this review to a 5-star.”
  • Google user
    “Absolute gem and so glad it’s my local. Decent prices for the area, and nice changing beers. Service always great and the pub itself is stunning. Beautiful old curved bar and reeded glass with a very impressive main room and fire place. The Thai food has always been great.”
  • Google user
    “Great pub. Incredible food. For real. Some of the best Thai food I’ve had in London. This ain’t no run of the mill pad thai. This is 5D Thai. Recommend the Lab Gai.”
  • Google user
    “One of our favorite pubs in North London. Food is great, but would stick to the thai menu! Dissappinted they took the seacider off the menu, new cider is nowhere near as good. I got the meal and pint deal, It was great but the guiness was not included which was anoying as that was not mentioned on the menu. Would always recommend this pub. 4.5/5”

Hours

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Good to know

“Beautiful Victorian pub with Thai Kitchen & outside seating.”

  • Accessibility
    Wheelchair: entrance, restroom

Amenities

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
Show more amenities
Accessibility· 1
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom

Location

Bars near Shaftesbury Tavern

Shaftesbury Tavern
Wheelchair accessible
4.5618
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  • 0.4 miWheelchair accessible

    lamprais, kottu, sunday roast

  • 0.5 miWheelchair accessibleOutdoor seatingGood for kids

    roast pork sandwich, outdoor seating, roast dinner

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