Tucked away down a beautiful mews in South Kensington with Vegan nacho’s, seasonal pub grub and friendly staff, The Queen’s Arms is a lovely hidden spot!
If you’ve read the blog post I wrote recently on Hidden City’s scavenger hunt experiences around London, then you’ll know that part of the experience was being taken around new and hidden locations within London. This included The Queen’s Arms pub in South Kensington.
Having sampled a delicious vegan dish of theirs during the scavenger hunt, we felt compelled to return.
The Ambiance:
The Queens Arms in South Kensington is tucked away on a corner down a quiet London mews, nestled in the lovely area of South Kensington.
I was surprised to see how busy it was inside during this visit. Not only for its hidden location but also considering the time of day ( early afternoon on a Tuesday). The first time we visited on a Monday afternoon and it was fairly quiet. ( Photo’s below taken on the quiet Monday visit )
The atmosphere inside The Queens Arms this time, however, was lively and bustling with activity. It wasn’t too loud that we weren’t able to carry on a conversation with ease though.
What is on offer at The Queens Arms:
Having previously visited The Queens Arms when they had a dedicated Veganuary menu, I was curious to see what the selection on offer would be for Vegetarians and Vegans without that menu and I wasn’t let down.
Unfortunately, I didn’t actually take a picture of the main menu ( however I’ve included some shots of the veganuary menu that was on offer!). I thought I could link you directly to their website. However, it seems that their menu changes often. So, I can’t guarantee that anything I talk about will actually be on the menu at the time of your visit.
For any vegetarians and Vegans, I’d suggest not only checking their menu online but also getting in contact to find out their specials for the day and exactly what is available for you.
Queens Arms menu comprises of the usual British pub cuisine- fish & chips, burgers and steak along-side a few carefully selected vegetarian and vegan options. However, there was also a specials board with a further three Vegan options. These included the delicious chickpea topped Nacho’s we’d had previously. Plus, a Beyond Meat burger with vegan cheese and a salad dish.
What we ordered:
R and I couldn’t help but order the Vegan nacho’s dish again. Especially after having loved them so much the first time around. Which are absolutely delicious, topped with spicy chickpeas and dairy-free cheese.
I’d then planned on ordering the beyond meat burger but unfortunately, they’d just run out. With that in mind, I ended up ordering a vegan lasagne with roasted squash, peppers and a garlic breadcrumb topping. Rhys, as usual, ordered a burger.
Food For Thought:
In terms of the vegan nachos, I really have absolutely nothing to complain about. The ratio of topping to nachos was perfect and all the flavours combined for a perfect mix of savoury and creamy.
If you’re looking for something on the healthy side then this dish is definitely not for you. When biting into the home-made nacho ‘chips/crisps’ then have the perfect crisp bite of something that has been fried. A bite-full containing every single element of the dish feels both decadent and entirely more-ish.
I’ve fiddled around with a chickpea Indian style cracker recipe before but have yet to perfect the chickpea recipe. This pub has it!
Alongside the nacho’s I’m afraid to say that the lasagne wasn’t received quite a well. In general, I can be a bit picky with lasagne’s because they have to have just the right ratio of sauce to veg. I actually prefer a veggie lasagne with a rich creamy sauce, which I’ve yet to find in a Vegan version. ( if someone knows where I can get one then please point me in the right direction! )
The filling was nice and the mix of vegetables was complimentary but it just didn’t have that complete wow factor for me. That’s not to say that others won’t love it but I’ll be choosing something else on my next visit.
For any meat-eaters – Rhys also enjoyed his beef burger. Neither of us can remember exactly what it was called on the menu but he says that he has nothing to complain about and enjoyed the meal.
Final Thoughts:
- Tucked away down a cute mews in South Kensington, this hidden pub invites you away from the busy London streets and into a quiet corner of its’ own.
- Once inside, both the staff and atmosphere are very welcoming.
- I was really impressed with the multiple Vegan & Vegetarian offerings at Queens Arms and hope they add the vegan nacho’s to the every-day menu because this is a must-try in my opinion! – However, when I checked the menu again earlier, there was only one vegan option on the menu. With that in mind, I would definitely suggest checking/calling in advance to make sure there will be something available for you.
- Make sure to check out the specials board too because this has some real gems.
Rhys’s Final thoughts: Love the vibe & location is great. Nachos are amazing and the burger was great – not spectacular – but still lovely. Would definitely return.
Cost: £31 not including drinks ( 2 Mains and the Nacho’s dish)
To visit Pide in Hammersmith:
Website || Instagram
30 Queen’s Gate Mews, Kensington, London SW7 5QL
Till next time,
P.S. If you’re looking for other Vegan food options on West London then check out my review for Fulham’s ‘Tell Your Friends’
