As appalling property prices have driven young
sophisticates further and further afield, a tide of
gentrification has carried the gastropub north, south,
east and west.
The leafy streets around Hampstead Heath, that
great lung just to the north of the city, needed no such
upgrade. It has always been a smart neighbourhood,
gazing condescendingly at the high-rise landmarks of
the downtown skyline. Unsurprising, then, that it has
sustained one of the flashiest gastropub menus of all
at THE BULL AND LAST at 168 Highgate Road, NW5
1QS.
While there is a more conservative dining room
above, the layout downstairs remains comfortingly
that of a pub, with the mandatory bare floorboards,
deep windows and basic furniture. In winter, a fire
welcomes red-cheeked walkers off the heath. Four
bulls' heads gaze down from the walls, doubtless
reserving an especially hard stare for those who order
beef tartare. But as the fans rotate in the high ceilings,
and the music drifts, you find yourself becalmed—and
wonder what kind of trivial urgencies might be driving
the traffic past the windows.
Friday
