The Prince Albert, Battersea

In an increasingly homogenised world that has its streets filled up with chain stores and identikit pubs, it is refreshing to see any kind of establishment that has made efforts to maintain its own identity, how small and apparently ridiculous its own idiosyncrasies might seem.

The Prince Albert pub is on the border of the Royal Borough of Chelsea and Kensington and a sense of decorum is apparent before you even get inside. On the outside door, there is a notice dictating that all troops must break step when entering the premises.

It is a theme that is continued with the interior of the pub. Wood panelling, stag horns and fancy dog print wallpaper all form part of the decoration, providing a sense of occasion without seeming to be too fusty or arcane.

The downstairs part is in the style of a regular pub set-up although the televisions showing sports slightly jar against stuffed animal heads mounted on the walls.

The upstairs area is called the Bridge Room and has a much more refined air to it. There is almost the sense of an ‘upstairs, downstairs’ divide to the pub, something that Prince Regent might have approved of if he were still around. However, the dislocation is merely physical and there is no actual barrier – social or financial – to entry.

The food offered is in keeping with its decorum: traditional and British. Put together by head chef Adrian Watters (previously of Soho House), it offers familiar courses such as roast chicken, beef and oak smoked salmon, starting from £9 and heading up towards £19 for the bigger meat items.

The quality of the meals is not in any dispute and for the money paid, you do get a decent sized portion. The desserts also have an old school dinner feel to them with ginger sponge and Eton Mess amongst the choices.

What the pub offers is something that tends to be disappearing in British food. It celebrates its British heritage but not in a nationalistic manner with the emphasis placed on its origin. What is seen is the quirky and often baffling side of the British character with its eccentricities and charming nuances kept intact.

The Prince Albert
Prince Albert Road
Chelsea
SW11 4PF

Tel: 020 7228 0923