Horse & Groom, and The Grenadier, Belgravia

Horse & Groom

WE WERE actually really looking forward to visiting Horse and Groom a traditional English pub in the heart of Belgravia, as we’d come across it on Instagram and thought it looked positively idyllic, all tucked away in its cobblestone mews and seemingly difficult to find, which makes sense, considering that its tagline is Hard to find. But harder to leave. When we arrived on July 7th at 1:30 in the afternoon, we thought we’d have the place to ourselves, but the outdoor seating out front was already full, much to our confusion. It was, of course, one of those super hot summer days, so that might have been the reason. It was still charming nevertheless, so we ordered a couple of drinks and stood outside, basking in the hot July sun. (Inside was also completely packed, we might add.) The barmaid seemed new and a little overwhelmed by the busyness and P wasn’t a fan of her lime and soda skills, but overall, a nice vibe. We might check it out again when it’s not as busy and hopefully score a seat either indoors (all tiny and dark wood) or out, as both were equally charming.

HISTORY

The Horse & Groom has been opened for over 150 years, dating back to the 1800s (there is evidence of it being a working pub in 1852). Legend has it that the Beatles regularly drank there in the 60s and more recently, everyone from Rihanna to Gwyneth Paltrow have stopped by. According to FB, Afrim Neli took over as landlord (for Aidan and Mary, who took an early retirement) in 2020.

7 Groom Pl, London SW1X 7BA, United Kingdom
@horse_groom_belgravia
Phone: 02072 356980

The Grenadier

Very near the Horse & Groom is The Grenadier in Belgrave Square. It was such a delight to happen upon this place, all tucked away, it feels properly hidden and a wonderful surprise to come across it. It was the same super hot day and that we visited the Horse & Groom (just after, actually), so we sat outside on the little stools facing the bright blue painted panels on the front of the pub. There were girls in summer dresses toasting aperol spritzes and long-married couples with pints and white wine. Everyone was relaxed and cheerful, and the attentive staff had everything under control. On the way out, we passed through a fence-in gate along the right side of the pub and discovered a little side terrace in the shade, filled with people who had clearly been there before. I think The Grenadier is one of our new favourites.

HISTORY

Self-proclaimed royalty amongst London pubs, The Grenadier was originally built in 1720 as the officers’ mess for the senior infantry regiment of the British army, the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, and located in a courtyard of their barracks. It was opened to the public in 1818 as The Guardsman, and then renamed in honour of the Grenadier Guards’ actions in the Battle of Waterloo. Its seclusion in a wealthy district of London, meant that it was frequented in the past by the Duke of Wellington and King George IV, and more recently, Madonna and Prince William. It is also said to be haunted by the ghost of a subaltern who was beaten to death for cheating at cards. The pub was acquired from the Greene King by INEOS (Sir Jim Ratcliffe) in September 2022.