the engineer {london}

When we were up in London last weekend we decided to stay in Primrose Hill. We used to stay there all the time, when my sister Robin  and her husband Phil lived in London. But since they moved away (over 10 years ago!) I hadn’t even stepped foot in this adorable neighborhood.

While London can feel a bit (a lot) overwhelming, being in Primrose Hill is sort of like visiting a small village hidden within a bigger city. It’s got a main street, with lots of cute shops and cafes, and the Primrose Hill park is right there for the taking.

Even though it’s got a bunch of nice restaurants, we ended up spending two of our too few meals at the same place: The Engineer. It’s exactly that local-pub-with-great-food-all-day-long-right-around-the-corner that you always hope to find in London.


Before I even get to the food part of things, the setting would be enough to pull be in. Located on a sunny corner, the light filled rooms – upstairs and downstairs – are full of burnished wood, worn leather and antiques that make you want to pull up a chair and stay forever. And there were always at least three dogs in attendance both times we were there. A big plus.

Our first meal here was lunch. We had been out spoiling the girls all morning (shopping) and so were tired, hungry and in need of comfort in the form of food. So Sophie and I naturally went for fish and chips. The Battered Haddock came with newspaper cone full of crispy fried potatoes, a bright green mound of minty peas next to a pot of homemade tartare sauce. Brilliant! (that’s what they say all the time up there. For fried fish or just about anything else)

Emma dug into a gorgeous ground rib burger, piled high with cheddar and gerkins. Once again, Domenico got the fish pie (which he can never pass up) which came to the table bubbling hot and crispy on the top with brioche crumbs.

The next morning we came back, this time for breakfast. Emma and Domenico had the most massive pile of banana pancakes – topped with caramelized banana and bacon – that I’ve ever seen. They finished it all. Sophie and I went for the full English: 2 perfectly poached eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and various bits and pieces of fried up pork products.

If you do stop by, make sure you order one of their juices. Freshly squeezed or pressed, they are often mixed with the pub’s own special ginger concoction.

I wish we had had time to come by for some of their pub menu treats: Rarebit, Sausage Roll and scotch eggs. And a pint of course.

The Engineer
65 Gloucester Avenue, London, NW1 8JH
020 7483 1890