La Pia

🚇 Barbican 🍺 £6.70 Moretti ❤️ A brutalist Barbican boozer. The Shakespeare sits on a corner of a crescent of shops and flats at the front end of the Golden Lane Estate EC1. The nearest Tube is Barbican which is only a two minute walk. The Shakespeare was built in 1964 and is Grade II listed. The name is inspired by the Bard himself, who lived some hundred metres away throughout his time in London. The is a one bar pub with a comedy club in the basement. The bar is set out in almost a “H” shape with the servery on the left hand side as you walk in. Even though this pub is traditionally decorated, due to the architecture of the building it does feel modern in here. The seating is a mix of elongated leatherette banquettes, a few poser tables and traditional tables and chairs. Around the walls are gold framed Elizabethan era repro portraits, mirrors and chalkboards with promotions. The beer choice was a straightforward selection of keg beers and ciders. I opted for a Moretti, decent enough pint but a bit pricey for this lager. There is a simple eclectic food menu comprising of Burgers, pasta and Toasties, a Ham & Cheese Toastie cost £5.95. I arrived around 4.30pm on a sunny Friday afternoon in July. The pub was fairly quiet as Fridays in the city are not as busy as they once was. There were a few punters sat inside, the majority were sat outside enjoying the summer sun and watching the world go by. The service here was excellent, the Guvnor is a bit of a character, he was jovial and set an upbeat tone. @theshakespearebarbican is not the most handsome of boozers you’ll come across and almost has an estate pub feel. I enjoyed my visit here primarily due to the pub’s location and sitting outside watching the comings and goings around the Barbican. This pub is worth a look of you’re in the area. ℹ️ Info correct on visiting 07.07.23