Having driven past the fairly isolated “Princess of Wales”:https://www.princessofwalesclapton.co.uk/ many times, I’d never been into the riverside pub and to be honest, thought it was a bit of a dive. However, having visited the nearby “Middlesex Filter Beds”:https://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/attraction/204618 in Clapton, it was ideal for lunch, particularly as it was participating in the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.
Although the large open garden could normally be accessed from the River Lea’s ow path, Covid-19 meant barriers ensured everyone entered via the pub where we were greeted by a friendly young girl and hand sanitiser.
It was a lovely day and we chose to sit out on the wooden deck. Despite it being just past midday on a Monday, a couple of other tables were already seated, and others had reserved signs on. We chose a riverside table where the wooden seats either side of the table looked like they’d been fashioned out of a huge wooden barrel. It wasn’t the comfiest of arrangements, but brightly coloured cushions made it slightly better. Tables were well spaced and of varying sizes and there was more hand sanitiser available.
Probably because of Covid, it was waitress service only (which to be honest I rather like). The “menu”:https://www.princessofwalesclapton.co.uk/menus/?menu=513759 had a range of snacks, starters, mains and puddings and there was also a sandwich menu. Although we were tempted by snacks of scotch egg and sausage roll, because of Rishi’s discount, we plumped for a British charcuterie shared platter at £18 and a side of chips. There was another platter which really tempted us with the pork pie, sausage roll, hams and cheese etc, but at £28 we were worried it would be too big for two.
The platter with Coppa Dorset cured ham, Suffolk salami and chorizo, pickled silver onions, smoked olives and chutney was well arranged and was served with sour dough bread. The chips were fat and crisp and I could have eaten the whole portion to myself.
On the deck was a burger shack which is only open from Wednesday to Sunday in the summer.
With a couple of pints of Orchard Thieves Cider, sparkling water and after the discount we paid £22.32.
Walking back through the pub itself, we took more time and were very impressed by the layout and style. Without the discount, it’s not particularly cheap, but it’s somewhere we’d like to return to.
