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The Stranded opened mid-2025 in a stretch of Strand curiously absent of bars and pubs. We're almost opposite Charing Cross station and a stein's throw from Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden, guaranteeing the place plenty of footfall.
But is it worth going in? Yes, very much so. It's a big, modern kind of place, with plenty of shiny surfaces and plain wooden benches. It looks like a bar, but behaves like a pub, with a strong focus on interesting beer.
The place leads on Budvar. Four persuasions of the Czech favourite, including the low-alcohol nealko, are available. But you'll also find numerous guest beers on keg and cask. The Stranded reckons it serves the freshest pints around, thanks to hand-washed glasses and a special foamy pour. They're so proud of this, they have have a (very) technical tap diagram on the wall.
The pub-bar is operated by Bloomsbury Leisure Group who, despite their corporate-sounding name, have brought us some genuinely brilliant pubs, such as the Euston Tap and the Jackalope. This is another winner.
The food options will change regularly, with different groups taking over the kitchen. At time of writing, it's Gyoza Paradox.
Built to hold large West End crowds, yet oddly calm and intimate during quieter hours of the day, The Stranded is a welcome addition to central London beer scene.
