The ‘navvies’ of Chalk Farm: fist fights, rowdy pubs and raffling a dead body
Life was dangerous, drunken and relentlessly tough for the men who transformed the neighbourhood carving out the railways
One of the few positive rays of light to emerge from the hospitality gloom of 2020’s lockdown was news that an ambitious new gastropub was preparing to open in the Victorian horse hospital on Chalk Farm Rd. It felt like a vaguely crazy idea at that time, but the team in charge had a plan…
Though still in its first year of operation, The Farrier has already carved out a reputation for high quality seasonal British food paired with an enviable selection of natural wines, very decent cocktails and beers too. The spacious rustic chic setting has also gone down very well with an increasingly loyal band of local regulars.
They’ve weathered the further buffeting of Omicron to recently add an in-house wine store to the offering, specialising in natural wines from small vineyards and cooperatives. These will form the centrepiece of their £20 Secret Feasts offer, which includes a tasting flight of five red, white, rosé and orange wines, with a board of cheese, charcuterie or vegan crudités.
“We have about 70 wines in stock that change quite regularly,” says resident expert Will Sharpe. “They are all low-intervention, which encompasses organic and biodynamic wines too. It means the least amount of tinkering in production, including the use of natural yeasts and no filtering, all of which give these wines a broad range of new flavours that people might not be used to. It means everything from crystal clear wines all the way to some cloudy, cidery funky things. There’s lots to discover.”
The accompanying charcuterie and cheeses are locally sourced from the Hampstead Butcher, just up the road. “We’ve got a really good relationship with them,” enthuses General Manager Shane Rose. “They helped us put our name on the map for Sunday roasts, and more recently, while we’ve been awaiting the arrival of a new chef, they’ve put together some really impressive meats and cheeses that pair well with our natural wines. You’ll find they release the taste in a way that’s really impressive.”
The Farrier’s resident natural wine buff is Will Sharpe (pictured right), who has spent “ages” working in hospitality, including the last decade in management. “Before coming here I was in the speciality coffee world, so I got the snobbery from there,” he jokes. “I’ve just sat my WSET 2 wine award and am now moving on to levels 3, then 4. That’s what brought my here to The Farrier, in the pursuit of more knowledge. I tell people that what I get from wine feels like going on a holiday through my mouth.”
Shane Rose (left) has also worked his way up from early jobs behind the bar to taking over as GM at The Farrier late last year. “Everyone working here truly enjoys what they do,” he tells us, “and I think our guests really get to experience that passion when they visit. I was sold the minute I had one of the tomahawk steaks with the meat just falling off the bone, paired with a nice organic red.
“The coming months are looking really exciting as we have a new chef starting in a couple of weeks, and in the summer the Peaky Blinders: The Rise immersive theatre show opens in our sister venue upstairs, with the Lucky Club rooftop cocktail bar adding even more attractions to what we have to offer here.
We’ve build up some loyal regulars in our first year of operations despite the challenges ofthe pandemic, but now we’re really keen to show everyone else the quality of what we’re offering on their doorstep in Camden’s North Yard.”
On four special Wednesday nights (Feb 23rd and March 2nd, 9th and 16th) Camdenist presents Secret Feasts at North Yard.
The Farrier have chosen to highlight their new natural and organic wine store, with a flight of 5 x 75ml glasses of red, white, rose and orange wines. They come with meat or cheeses from Hampstead Butcher, with a vegan option available too.
The Farrier are offering ticket holders a 10% discount on all bottles purchased from the wine store on the night to take home.
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