Harden's says
Former Brat chefs Ben Allen and Ed Jennings opened this "culinary-led pub" (FKA gastropub) in March 2023, serving “locally sourced, seasonal dishes” cooked over flames.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“A fantastic new opening” in Kentish Town – “very noisy pub at the front, but as soon as you’re through the curtains it feels like a secret and rather louche party, with epic food”. It might “look like a gastropub” (it was previously a Victorian boozer, The Oxford Tavern), “but the cooking is high-class restaurant level, albeit you have to be a fan of fire-and-flame cuisine” – from ex-Brat chefs Ben Allen and Ed Jennings. All in all “a winner” – “always busy, permanently buzzing, with great staff who keep things moving well”. Top Menu Tips – “Spider crab croquettes, grilled prawns in brown butter, melting pork chop, gamey rabbit chou farci”.
Summary
“All the food is wood-grilled and tastes fantastic” at this exciting March 2023 newcomer – a converted boozer (a Victorian hostelry, previously called The Oxford Tavern) from former Brat chefs Ben Allen and Ed Jennings that’s not just “a welcome addition to Kentish Town” but widely hailed from more distant postcodes as “the perfect gastropub”. The “original” if quite limited menu is extremely highly rated in a slew of early reports (and just about every newspaper restaurant critic has waxed lyrical over it); there’s also a “superb and well-priced wine list, plus great beers on tap”.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Parakeet?
256 Kentish Town Road, London, NW5 2EN
The Parakeet Restaurant Diner Reviews
"A beautifully restored pub with a top drawer team. Sunday lunch elements satisfied on all fronts - starters showed imagination and care - lettuce with mole verde and a grilled john dory were delicious. Wine list ranged widely and offered some low intervention options. "
"Top gastropub. Dramatic, if slightly over-the-top, decor. Limited menu but all excellently prepared, including reasonable selection for veggies. Reasonably priced wine list, with a good carafe selection. Friendly, well-informed service. Not cheap but worth it. "
"Yes this looks like a gastropub, but the food is high class restaurant level, albeit you have to be a fan of the fire and the flame style cuisine. Almost a 5 for the food. Spider crab croquettes, grilled prawns in brown butter, melting pork chop, gamey rabbit chou farci. Decent range of wines by the glass and something for everyone on the decent bottle list. Quite crowded and noisy - I enjoyed my neighbour's conversation about a recent fling in Ibiza - it seems permanently buzzing, staff keep things moving well. A very welcome addition to not the most exciting area."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £28.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £5.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
256 Kentish Town Road, London, NW5 2EN
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑12 am |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑12 am |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑12 am |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑12 am |
| Friday | 12 pm‑12 am |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑12 am |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑10:30 pm |
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