Anchor & Hope voted Harden's top London food pub

The 2015 Harden’s London Restaurants​ guide, which was published yesterday, placed the Charles Wells-owned pub ahead of the Bull & Last in Highgate, followed by Fulham pub the Harwood Arms in third. The top three retained their order from last year.

The pub was also ranked 12th in the Top 50 Gastropubs 2014, an annual UK-wide event organised by the Publican’s​ Morning Advertiser​.

The top 10 list of food pubs in London also included three new entries. The ETM Group-owned Jugged Hare, in Moorgate, came in at number four. Noble Inns site the Pig & Butcher, in Islington, entered at number eight. Maida Vale pub the Truscott Arms – reopened by Andrew and Mary Jane Fishwick last year – was placed ninth.

One pub has managed to make the top 10 in the best breakfast/bunch category. Belgravia pub the Pantechnicon – owned by Cubitt House – was placed ninth in a list that includes restaurants such as the Wolseley in Piccadilly and the Delaunay, in Covent Garden.

Another Cubitt House site, the Thomas Cubitt – also in Belgravia – was 10th in the top food pubs list.

Openings​

The guide, which is in its 24th consecutive year, recorded its highest ever rate of net new restaurant openings in the capital.

It found that 148 establishments opened in the past year, compared to 47 that closed – which is the lowest number this millennium. The ratio of openings to closings, at three-to-one, has been bettered only once in the guide’s history – in 1996.

The guide also noted the continued emergence of east London as a major dining out destination.

The top 10 bar/pub food venues:​

1. The Anchor & Hope, Waterloo (1)

2. The Bull & Last, Highgate (2)

3. The Harwood Arms, Fulham (3)

4 The Jugged Hare, Moorgate*

5. The Canton Arms, Stockwell (7)

6. The Gun, Docklands (8)

7. The Ladbroke Arms, Notting Hill (10)

8. The Pig & Butcher, Islington*

9. The Truscott Arms, Maida Vale*

10. The Thomas Cubitt, Belgravia (4)