The Canonbury Tavern is rumoured to have the biggest beer garden in the capital writes Mark Blunden

Canonbury Tavern bar supervisor Sam Smithson, left, with manager Neil Farrelly

CHARGRILLED food doesn’t get much better than the bangers and burgers served from the beer garden barbecue at the Canonbury Tavern.
The pub and its twin, the Edinboro Castle, in Mornington Terrace, Camden, have both been voted in the UK’s top 100 venues for outdoor eating.
The hallowed restaurant and pub guide ‘Burnt Sausages and Perfect Pimms’ chose the two pubs for the quality of their food, good locations and friendly staff.
Its 240-capacity beer garden – which must be around half an acre – is more country field than a boozer’s backyard. This is because before houses were built near the Canonbury Tavern it owned acres of land.
Some say the pub has the biggest beer garden in the capital, though I was unwilling to unfurl my tape measure and erect a theodolite to verify this claim.
But it is equally famous for its ye olde ‘No sex on the premises’ bylaw.
This was implemented to stop frisky couples getting too amorous in a quiet corner of the pub’s vast gardens.
Situated well away from Upper Street’s hubbub, the Canonbury Tavern is well located to hop back on the last overland train from Canonbury station.
Manager Neil Farrelly said: “Our beer garden has got a real ‘wow’ factor. I love seeing people step into the garden who have come hear for the first time. You can almost hear their jaw drop.”
Getting back to the food, the Canonbury’s top seller from the barbecue is its eight ounce Aberdeen Angus burger.
At £5.25 it is cheaper than a gastropub burger and the ingredients are of fine quality.
Mr Farrelly said: “This really is a gourmet burger. We do lots of them whenever its sunny and we’ll fire up the barbecue if there’s the slightest glimmer of sunshine through the clouds.
“All the food we barbecue is best described as down to earth and good quality, it’s a simple as that.”
The sandwiches from the barbecue are also proving popular, added Mr Farrelly.
The combinations of pork and leek sausage, ribeye steak and red onion and, for the vegetarians, mushroom and tarragon sandwiches, sell out whenever the barbecue is fired up.
The Canonbury’s three chefs also cook Moroccan chicken, salmon and grilled halloumi.
Everything from the chargrill is served with either mixed leaf salad or couscous.
To wash everything down, Mr Farrelly has set up a Pimm’s hut.
The high ceilings and pre-Victorian décor keep the inside of the Canonbury Tavern cool even in the summer months.
There’s even a spot of celebrity spotting to be had – keep this to yourself but the likes of Cate Blanchett have been spotted getting to grips with a glass of rosé.
Beer-wise there’s your standard fair of lagers and bitters, including the increasingly popular Czech lager Staropramen. More adventurous drinkers can sample strawberry, raspberry, cherry and peach-flavoured brews.
So, as tomorrow (Friday) promises to be “the hottest day of the year”, there could be far worse ways to while away your evening than a few fruity brews at the Canonbury Tavern.

• Canonbury Tavern
21 Canonbury Place, N1
Phone 020 7288 9881