The Eagle (Bar)

City Road landmark The Eagle – the only pub to be immortalised in a nursery rhyme – is now open seven days a week and boasts an extensive new food menu.

Located just around the corner from Jamie Oliver’s restaurant, Fifteen, The Eagle is the latest Hoxton hotspot and visitors to the pub are following some well-worn footsteps. In fact, it was The Eagle’s huge popularity in the mid-19th century that led to it being name-checked in the song ‘Pop Goes the Weasel’. As the plaque on the outside of the pub tells us:

‘Up and down the City Road
In and out The Eagle
That’s the way the money goes
Pop goes the weasel’

The rhyme refers to the tailors of City Road, who would pawn (or ‘pop’) their ‘weasels’ – a tailor’s iron – behind the bar of The Eagle until pay-day when they could afford the cost of a pint. Today’s pub-goers can choose from a range of premium lagers and specialist beers including Kuppers Kolsch and Strawberry Fruli, plus an extensive wine list.

As well as a drink or two, visitors can enjoy a daily food menu which includes a variety of light snacks such as Juicy Calamari Strips with Sweet Chilli Sauce and Vine Tomato Bruschetta with Basil and Balsamic Vinegar as well as more substantial dishes like Juicy 8oz Aberdeen Angus Burger in a Bun with Cheddar & Wedges and Bean Cassoulet with Mediterranean Style Vegetable Cous Cous.

What’s more, The Eagle’s range of chunky sandwiches is much more than your standard sandwich fare. With fillings such as Moroccan Spiced Chicken with Roasted Pepper and Fish Fingers & Homemade Tartar Sauce, lunchtime will never be the same again. Traditional Sunday roasts are also served every weekend.

The pub still retains many of its original features, including the traditional wooden bar and floorboards which date back 130 years. The pub has been given a regenerated feel via an eclectic mix of classic pub and contemporary furnishings fused with retro kitsch. Large comfy sofas lend a homely feel and make it the perfect spot to kick back and relax, while the pub’s high-ceilinged interior means it is bright and spacious. In keeping with the theme of the eagle (and the weasel!) bold animal prints by London artist Sara Abbot adorn the walls, as well as stylish photography.

The Eagle’s unique style is nowhere more evident than in the pub’s huge back garden, which is reminiscent of a Greek taverna. Brick walls – complete with climbing ivy – create an intimate space and are decorated with ornate, gilt mirrors and hand-painted glass. Strings of fairy lights and coloured lamps and candles further enhance the magical atmosphere.

The Eagle is open from midday to 11pm Monday to Saturday and midday to 10.30pm on Sundays. Food is served from midday to 3pm and 6pm to 10pm Monday to Friday and from midday to 10pm on Saturdays and midday to 9pm on Sundays....read more