Eating And Drinking Along The Line

The following selection is compiled from people's comments and recommendations and is by no means a comprehensive guide - suggestions for additions are always welcome!

Gospel Oak
The Old Oak - lively locals' pub across the road from the station. Fullers London Pride on handpump. Well situated to while away the time till the next train, especially if you hit one of the long evening gaps.

Upper Holloway
Workers Café - excellent-value, no-nonsense café virtually across the road from the station, going up towards Archway. Very generous portions!

Crouch Hill
The Old Dairy - quite trendy pub/eaterie just down the road towards Finsbury Park, housed in the former Friern Manor Dairy Farm. Note the superb decorated panels along the frontage which show how milk used to be brought from the cow to the home.

Harringay Green Lanes
There’s a McDonalds next to the station for those who like that sort of thing, but the stretch of Green Lanes north of the railway bridge is an ethnic food-lover’s paradise – from shops piled high with fresh fruit, veg and breads, to sit-down restaurants, cafes and takeaways with a strong bias towards real and wonderful Turkish fare. Cafe Valentine, 333 Green Lanes (turn left outside station and about 100 yards along Green Lanes on opposite side of road to station entrance) is a Bulgarian restaurant which is cheap and excellent. If you can’t find something in that little lot to delight your tastebuds, you’re probably clinically dead. To wash it down, try the Old Ale House (various guest ales), or the astounding high-Victorian gem of the Salisbury at the far end (Fullers beers on handpump). The latter is pricey but the surroundings are arguably worth that bit extra. For another more homely gem, turn left outside the station, go up Green Lanes then turn left up Hermitage Road - a 15/20 min walk brings you to the Oakdale Arms, a wonderfully characterful local with guest ales, cider and food. During 2005 it was threatened with closure, demolition and replacement by flats. The planning application was rejected at the end of October 2005 but joy was short-lived - the decision was subsequently reversed on appeal, so visit and enjoy while you still have the chance.

Blackhorse Road
The Standard across the road has no real ale, but is one of the friendliest gig venues in town – the doorstaff even hold the door open for you! Mostly covers/tribute bands these days, but has also hosted occasional appearances by visiting legends (eg Arthur Brown, the Electric Prunes) and local cult genius The Bevis Frond. A 5/10 minute walk along Forest Road towards South Tottenham brings you to the Ferry Boat, an historic and agreeable pub (with garden) near the River Lea and the reservoirs, which does real ale, good wines and food.

Walthamstow Queens Road
Go straight on out of the station down Exmouth Road, turn right at the end, and the bridge under the Chingford line brings you to the heart of Walthamstow Market. Turn left up the High Street and within minutes you come to Manze's Pie & Mash Shop - an unchanged piece of genuine East End tradition from the no-nonsense food to the tiling-and-wooden-bench interior.

Leyton Midland Road
Turn right outside the station and a 5-10 minute walk brings you to the William IV. Ignore the "Wine Bar" bit on the sign - this is a proper, traditional, much-improved pub with Fullers beers plus guest ales, Belgian Leffe, Brit & Thai food, occasional live music, and a cosy feeling of being in an (admittedly quite spacious) front room. Lively, friendly and back on form. Carry on to the traffic lights, turn left, and the Drum is across the road - small Wetherspoons house (one of their oldest) and thus less cavernous and more characterful than many of theirs. Guest ales and the usual good-value Wetherspoons food range.

Leytonstone High Road
Leytonstone has up & come quite a bit in recent times (though so far without becoming yuppified), and has quite a lot going for it these days. Turn right outside the station, and a short walk brings you to the Bell – Fullers London Pride plus usually a guest beer, and good value food. A bit further on is the Loaded Dog – Adnams bitter and regular gigs/jam sessions – with the Eel & Pie Shop immediately beyond if you’re feeling peckish. Or turn left outside the station, walk for 5 minutes or so to the town centre and you reach Zulu’s, a lively bar catering for the younger set; smokey, often with loud music. A bit further on, you come to the Sheepwalk – great down-to-earth local with friendly staff, regular gigs in a surreally-decorated upstairs room (see www.whatscookin.co.uk for full details) , but alas no real ale – shame! - and over the road the Walnut Tree, a decent medium-size Wetherspoons with a good range of real ales and food. Also at this end of town is the North Star in Browning Road - an unspoilt little gem of a traditional local in the old "village" part of Leytonstone, with several real ales on tap. Restaurants: try Elche tapas bar opposite the Bell, and Petch Siyam (Thai) near the Sheepwalk.

Barking
Turn left outside the station and you come immediately to the Barking Dog – a cavernous Wetherspoons with guest ales & food at competitive prices. Cross Wakering Road to the Spotted Dog, a traditional and historic pub with dark wood panelling and interesting local photos. Much bigger than it looks, it also has a lower level and beer garden and does a range of food. Beers are Courage Best and Directors (the latter rebadged as Davy’s Wallop). About a 5 minute walk down Wakering Road and under the Northern Relief Road brings you to the Britannia in Church Road – traditional 2-bar Youngs house (a rarity so far east) which also does good food.