THE NORTH POLE
London’s craft beer scene is burgeoning and the newly opened North Pole in Islington is a welcome addition to the artisanbrewing renaissance.
The pub specialises in craft beer, real ale and ciders with 22 on draught and 30 by the bottle, all from independent suppliers. The stylish and contemporary interior has been given the Farrow & Ball treatment and features two semi-private spaces, an intimate alfresco courtyard and a retro games room. Look out for quirky collectables, sourced from Kempton Park Fair, including an original working seven-inch jukebox and a framed selection of amusing quotes from Oscar Wilde.
Worth propping-up-the-bar-for keg beers include a unique variety of Innis and Gunn Original from Edinburgh; a range of Cornwall-based Harbour Brewing; Belgian Bacchus Framboise; Schneider Aventinus (Germany) and Flying Dog Style Pale Ale made Stateside. Experimental bottles include Goose Island Madame Rose and Pepe Nero (both USA); Cave Creek Chillibeer (Mexico); Brouwerij De Troch Exotic (Belgium); Coopers Ale (Austria); Nøgne ø Saison and Brewdog Dogma from the UK.