The Good Reader - London

Jay

This pub is a Lovely place to visit to get some food and drink. The decor inside and out is amazing and the staff are extremely friendly. I spoke to Vicky who was welcoming and showed me around. The prices for produce sold here are fair and the pub is also dog friendly.
I hope to come back sometime in the near future.

Angela B.

Lovely place, great atmosphere 🙂
You can see that a lot of care and attention have been put into the renovation with all the interesting little details.

I went there before Christmas and we had a wonderful experience. They did their upmost to find us a table at a very busy time and they did!

The food was delicious, excellent quality and the gravy was the best I ever tasted.

Well done!! I hope that your hard works pays off.

Giulia R.

Great vibe, the place is super cozy. The staff was very friendly, welcoming and professional. The food portions were generous and very tasty. Nice wine and beer selection. They also have a back outside area. Highly recommended if you come to Crouch End.

Caroline W.

Lovely pub. my go to now when i Crouch End. Lots of room. great selection of beers. Fab!!

Bex S.

What a welcome and delicious addition to the ever growing Crouch End hospitality scene; a long standing local pub that has failed the last few openings has finally nailed it!

With Victoria Grove at the helm of the customer service, heading a team of charming, attentive waiting and bar staff, coupled with a warm, homely ambience & thoughtful vintage & bookish decor (The Good Reader has to have books!) it was very easy to get comfortable and feel supremely confident it the culinary joy that was to follow.

Jeff The Chef is an imaginative, talented crafter of outside-the-norm dishes that aren’t overcomplicated and appeal to every palate. We plumped for Roast Hake (sublime); Bavette (medium rare, succulent & flavourful) and home made Gnocchi - (a scrumptious, slightly smaller main); obviously the perfect finisher was the bonkersly delish Sticky Toffee Pud.

Wines are carefully curated with around half a dozen ‘by-the-glass’ options in red and white, with the same again by the bottle; fewer Rosé options; prices are good.

Beer is abundant as are spirits, mixers & soft drinks.

Book the front-room cosy restaurant or the room next to the bar offering a buzzier & busier vibe.

Whatever your tastes & preferences this is a fabulous local and actually, worth travelling across town for too.

Oops, nearly forgot the unparalleled giant marinaded olives with vampire offending large pieces of superb garlic. I’m slightly obsessed!

Exceptional.

London P. M.

🚇 Highgate
🍺 £6.80 Cruzcampo

The Good Reader is located in Crouch End, North London. The nearest Tube is Highgate, it’s a fifteen minutes walk to get here.

This pub was originally built in 1896 and started life as The Princess Alexandra. The pub was destroyed by bombing during World War II and was rebuilt by in 1952. This former Watney Combe Reid pub has had a few monikers over the years. In July this year the pub was extensively refurbished and is now called The Good Reader.

The pub is named after a local Victorian gentleman by the name of Sir Henry Reader Williams. He was a self made man and later philanthropist who donated towards the well being of poor children and green spaces in the area. The Clock Tower in the centre of Crouch End was erected in 1895 to celebrate his achievements.

This is a one bar pub that is divided by a centrally located fireplace. The decor here is traditional and stylish with some contemporary accents here and there. The servery is a good size and has a solid counter and a modern bar back. The floor is boarded, there is plenty of seating and the polished Joanna is a nice touch. This pub boasts two outside spaces, a small decked area to the left of the pub and a larger beer garden to the right.

The beer selection offers a range of familiar keg favourites and cask ale. I decided on a Cruzcampo, my pint was excellent, price point was high. The pub is looking to get the kitchen up and running and start serving food soon.

We arrived around 4pm on a sunny Saturday afternoon in August. The pub had a very relaxed atmosphere and a homely feel. The main bar area was fairly quiet as most punters were sat outside lapping up the sunshine. The service was on point, the team were welcoming and courteous.

Visiting @thegoodreadern8 was an excellent local pub experience. I loved the laidback vibe, the homely interior, the beer was great and the welcome warm. This pub is well worth a visit if you’re in the area.

ℹ️ Info correct on visiting 17.08.24

Atom S.

The Good Reader Pub in Crouch End has a relaxed, family-friendly vibe that appeals to locals and visitors looking for a laid-back atmosphere. The decor is charming, giving a sense of the classic British pub with a modern twist. However, be prepared for a bit of noise, especially if you're visiting during peak family hours—children frequently run about, which can add to the hustle and bustle.

The service is passable, with the bar staff being more attentive than the wait staff, who seemed somewhat scattered. While drinks were decent, they come at a price that feels a bit steep for the quality. Overall, The Good Reader Pub serves as a decent neighbourhood spot, especially for families, but might not be ideal for those seeking a quieter or more polished experience.

Maya L.

Came here for dinner on a Friday evening. Started really well as there was a buzzy vibe and good music playing. We ordered drinks and the bartender was really lovely. Unfortunately it went downhill when we ordered food. Firstly, the food took around 45 minutes to arrive at our table. When it arrived, the waiter blamed the fact that we ordered it 'all together'...it would have been great to have some communication about the wait or for them to offer some sort of compensation such as a round of drinks or a discount. The food was also very disappointing. The baba ghanoush was more like a smear of dip vs. a serving that's meant to be shared by people, it was absolutely tiny with a few celery stumps and radishes, and it had zero flavour. The salmon was tough and not very tasty either. We would have mentioned something to the staff, but no one came to check that we were enjoying the food anyway, so we felt a bit forgotten about. I completely understand that Friday nights can be busy, but if you're offering both food and drinks, there needs to be a consistent standard of service across the board. A good first impression was let down by a disappointing dining experience.