The Earl Derby

Gastro pub
Kilburn

The Earl Derby has recently opened its doors on the Kilburn High Road and from first impressions promises to be a proper modern pub with all that such a tag entails.

We visited The Earl Derby and were immediately impressed by the place. The bar area really looked the part, and we could tell that a lot of effort had gone in to making the atmosphere warm and cosy, and fun and vibrant.

The music was lively and the lights were low, but it wasn't so loud that it precluded the ability to sit and have a nice chat over a pint of one of their many tap beers.

The selection at the bar really was something else. We tried the Meantime Brewery Yakima Red (a delicious, fruity red ale) and the Addlestones' cloudy cider, both of which had a really unique flavour. There were many, many more on offer.

A decent selection of wine was also available and a mind boggling collection of spirits sat invitingly behind the bar, just calling out to be sampled with friends.

Throughout the evening, several of the companies that provide The Earl Derby with its unique selection of brews were on site. It's refreshing to see a pub rely almost exclusively on smaller breweries and spirit makers when even the hippest of pubs in Shoreditch or Camden are likely to have a strong reliance on the international brands.

The food was also excellent. A lot of care had clearly gone in to the preparation of the menu, and the small selection that we sampled suggested much promise in the rest of the dishes on available. And, with a menu that changes daily, you can guarantee that the food will be fresh.

The real seller however, is the selection of beers and ciders on tap. Even connoisseurs will have their hands full here with trying to pick what pint to have and it's great to see a pub staffed by people who care about the drinks they're serving. If you're in the area, check The Earl Derby out, and then go back again the week after, because if you try and drink all the beer on offer in one go you might be leaving on a stretcher!

155 Kilburn High Road, NW6 7HU

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