Never having attempted the Bermondsey Beer Mile ourselves, a visit to the newly-reopened Marquis of Wellington offers a chance to get a taste of the experience without committing to the whole mile!
Having been closed for two years, the Marquis of Wellington is back with new pizza and street food offerings, alongside a wide selection of beers. At the weekends, the pub is teaming up with the British Street Food Awards to bring the best of street food under a pub roof. With the winter days still stretching ahead, this seems like a good idea to us! Every week a different trader will be popping up, including Smokin’ Lotus, The Chip Club, BearBQ and Harley Dogs allowing customers to try a variety of the best street food on offer.
If you’re visiting on a weekday, as we were, don’t worry! The Marquis of Wellington is serving up handmade, wood-fired pizzas and garlic bread. We tried the Fior di latte mozzarella, basil pesto & sun blushed tomatoes, and the San Marzano tomato & spicy nduja options. First of all, they are BIG garlic breads! They’d make a great bar snack if you pop in for a pint and fancy something to nibble on. Made on the same base as the pizzas, they are lighter than usual garlic breads, and a lot more satisfying. The mozzarella was fresh and flavoursome, and the nduja had the perfect amount of kick in it. Priced between £4-4.50 (or 3 for £10.95), they really are good value.
The pizzas on offer are interesting – not just your usual toppings. Sirloin steak, red onions & gorgonzola pizza anyone? We tried the smoked salmon, ricotta, capers, rocket and lemon oil which had a great mixture of creamy ricotta, fresh smoked salmon and zingy lemon to balance it all out. The mushroom, baby spinach and black truffle was also lovely – not a closed cup mushroom in sight, just big, juicy, earthy mushrooms with real flavour! We were also very intrigued by the porchetta and apple (Fior di latte mozzarella, chunks of crackling porchetta & apple sauce) and may have to come back to give it a try! If after Christmas you’re suffering from roast overload, but need to wean yourself off slowly, why not try a Sunday roast pizza – either roast lamb or roast beef!
Based on Bermondsey Beer Mile, the Marquis offers a variety of local craft brews in both keg and cask from Camden Town Brewery, Southwark LPA, Horns Brewing Co and Clarkshards among others. It will also be the first pub in the UK to sell Roadswill – the British Street Food beer brewed in Bermondsey and specifically designed to be paired with street food.
For a street food experience without the street food chills, visit the Marquis of Wellington!
