If you haven’t binge watched The Gentlemen already then... well, what exactly have you been doing? The new Netflix series, created by film director Guy Ritchie and featuring White Lotus star Theo James, Kaya Scodelario of Skins, the one and only Ray Winstone, Breaking Bad’s infamous villain Giancarlo Esposito, and tough guy Vinnie Jones, seems to be the most talked about new series in town.
Besides his talent for portraying East End hard nuts, one of Ritchie’s greatest strengths is selecting excellent locations in which to tell his stories, which is why you might be pleased to know that he has his own pub in Fitzrovia – one which counts David Beckham as a fan.
Unveiled by the seasoned pub owner in 2019 (Ritchie and his then wife Madonna bought their regular haunt The Punch Bowl in 2008. He later gained the pub in their divorce settlement, then sold it in 2013), Lore of the Land is by no means new, but maintains its status as a hidden gem thanks to the fact it’s tucked away on Conway Street, a stone’s throw from where Ritchie reportedly owns a townhouse with his wife, Jacqui. A watering hole and restaurant spread over three floors, the space – which Ritchie regularly visits with the son he shares with Madonna, Rocco – boasts dark turquoise walls, time-worn wood panelling, and an eclectic jumble of artworks, giving it the cosseting allure of a trademark London boozer.
From the bar, you’ll find Ritchie’s own ‘Gritchie Brewing Company’ cask ales, beers and ciders (as seen in the 2019 The Gentlemen film) from Wiltshire and Dorset on tap and by the can, alongside spirits (including Ryan Reynolds’s Aviation gin), a selection of mainly European wines from the ‘private cellar’, and quirky takes on cocktails such as a ‘Popcorn Rum Fashioned’.
Meanwhile, the ‘modern British’ food menu sees chef Michal Kaszuba pull influences from across the globe to showcase British ingredients, plating up dishes such as ras el hanout spiced monkfish tail with brussels sprouts, harissa and whipped feta; south coast-caught brown crab risotto with a cherry harissa dressing; and coconut rice pudding topped with chunks of pickled Granny Smith apple. Plus, on Sundays, you’ll find Beckham’s favourite: moderately priced (£28 to £31) slap-up roast dinners, with slowly matured Saxon chickens, Phillip Warren lamb, and sometimes, venison from Ritchie’s Wiltshire estate.
Otherwise, guests might catch live music from time to time, which last December inspired Cruz Beckham to pick up a guitar and offer guests an impromptu performance. The song? Come Together by The Beatles. The scenes, it seems, write themselves...
