This pub has been voted by our readers as one of the best in Kilburn and Queen's Park. See the full list of winners here.
Or 'The Alice Houses' as they should be known, given that this brand has outlets in both Queen's Park and nearby West Hampstead. The QP version is a bright, light affair, with stonking great windows and bare lightbulbs dangling from a webbed ceiling like radioactive spiders. The cream brickwork and ubiquitous wood add to the style. If, for some mad reason, you ever pondered the opposite of 'dive bar', then this is it.
Popping in for a speedy pint with 15 fellow pub crawlers worked out just fine on a Tuesday night, but the space is really given over to those more willing to linger over a meal. This is an upper-end gastropub, with locally sourced ingredients and mains typically priced around £12-14. Those in our group who did manage to gobble down some grub during our flying visit were very happy, however.
We returned again just before Christmas to properly sample the food. A turkey roast (£16.50) ticked all the boxes, except the one marked 'stuffing'. Pollock and chips (£12) was splendid, and just the right size. The dainty mushy peas were so nice, they converted a lifelong pea-hater.
While the booze mood is definitely set to 'wine' (12 reds, 12 whites), the Alice also offers a likeable selection of ales and sophisticated lagers, again locally sourced, including Camden Ink Stout and Hells Lager from the neighbouring borough, plus bottles from Kernal and Meantime. A playful if limited cocktail selection completes the picture.
A pleasant, young, affluent place for pleasant, young, affluent people.
On Twitter as @QPAliceHouse.
