The Ship & Shovell

More than pub food

24 May 08, 18:09 Above expectations

When you think of pub food you think pies mash and chips etc and here you will get that in its plenty. But its tasty and meaty and theres certainly nothing stressful about an after work meal and pint in here.

Classy

22 May 08, 18:24 Above expectations

A very nice pub for a great night out. Its got very interesting decor inside and the top part of the pub is relaxed and chilled. The food in here is good and they do tapas style sharing plates which arent too expensive.

Tourist

21 May 08, 10:47 As expected

This is tourist heaven, a very nice pub from the popular Trafalgar Square attractions, its always busy, hard to find a table and you wait ages to get served, so be prepared to stand around for a while.

Ship and Shovell

19 May 08, 20:19 Above expectations

Try saying the name of this pub really quickly whilst a little drunk, ok its childish but we do it every time we come here.

Very much pub food, but good sized portions and you can get a drink and dinner for less than a tenner.

No rum drinking experience here!

02 Jan 08, 16:46 Beyond expectations

Virtually a stone’s throw from Trafalgar Square, I found the Ship & Shovell one of the most acceptably spacious and least disquieting drinking establishments I’ve frequented in months. It is uniquely the only pub in London built in two halves - comprising separate detached buildings either side of Craven Passage atop the platforms of Charing Cross station. I fortunately chose to head for the larger half - not even noticing, until I stood outside to take a phone call later on, that the smaller half (which apparently opens for overspill and/or private parties) was actually closed for business anyway.

The larger half proved right up my street in a beautifully traditional way - as it was interspersed with dark carved wood paneling, walls of etched mirrors and old nautical paintings. They serve, so I’m told by those who know and like that kind of tipple, a selection of excellent beers including Badger IPA and Bitter, King and Barnes Sussex and the ‘strong but dangerously drinkable’ Tanglefoot. I preferred their line in a moreish Merlot.

Based on my drinking dining-companions’ indulgent nods, I reckon the carved ham, fried eggs and chips or pork and herb sausage, buttered mash and peas with an onion and Tanglefoot gravy or chicken madras and warm chapattis are Ship & Shovell fayre well worth a lunchtime try - all at under £7 a plateful.

Without prior knowledge, I’d at first thought The Ship & Shovell might be one of those modern Slug & Lettuce type phenomena. But there is in fact a great deal of history surrounding this public house: Sir Clowdisley Shovell was a real-life sea captain who fought Barbary pirates in the 1700s but was then run aground and met his end in the Scilly Isles.

The only slight downside to social proceedings here is that a few moments of stone-cold soberness may ensue after a visit to their conveniences - which are painted wall-to-ceiling in a garish eye-boggling cream of tomato soup gloss.