Venetia van Kuffeler visits Cubitt House’s latest addition to its portfolio, The Coach Makers Arms

As much as January calls for a healthy start to the new year after various festive indulgences, the winter months in the UK also require a little comfort food. We visited The Coach Makers Arms on a bitterly cold January day, and found ourselves immediately enveloped in its warm embrace. The venue on Marylebone Lane is the latest addition to Cubitt House’s charming portfolio of independent public houses and hotels, alongside The Thomas Cubitt, The Alfred Tennyson, The Orange and The Grazing Goat.

The design of The Coach Makers Arms has been careful to maintain the pub’s original features and be sympathetic to the architecture of this grand corner building.  The ground floor features an impressive handmade wooden bar, along with original, antique coach lights and ornate tiles.

The building houses ‘The 72’, a vaulted, underground cocktail bar, named after The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers, the 72nd Livery Company of The City of London, and it’s a perfect spot to explore the cocktail menu or even host a private party. But we were there for lunch, and headed to the first floor, where natural light floods through beautiful windows into the airy and relaxed dining room. Diners are seated on leather banquettes, overlooked by portraits of Coachmakers from yesteryear.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Coach Makers Arms serves the group’s largest selection of lager, ales and craft beer both on tap and in bottles, with regularly changing guest beers on tap, wines, spirits and cocktails. The menu continues Cubitt House’s tradition of seasonal British produce, and the chef works with some of the country’s most reputable suppliers, including Trecorras Farm, Lyme Bay fish reserve and Lyons Hill Farm, ensuring a genuine farm-to-plate ethos.

To start, I indulged in the chilli salt squid, a house speciality that has been served at all Cubitt House venues over the years. As crisp and tangy as ever. A perfect sphere, my husband’s burratta was beautifully served with glazed baby carrots and sesame crisp. “It’s too immaculate to eat,” he said. But of course he did and his plate was empty in no time.  From the blackboard, I chose a daily special of pan fried hake, with kale and leeks, purple potatoes, caramelised onions and horseradish creme, which was excellent. The meaty fish was cooked to perfection and perfectly balanced with the other ingredients on the plate. His dry-aged beef burger was served with dill pickles, spiced tomato mayonnaise and crisp French fries. He declared it a triumph. (Note for next time: truffle and parmesan fries are also on the menu). We shared a side of zingy braised red cabbage, which hit the spot.

Puddings on offer included a chocolate pot served with plum compote and cocoa nibs, and a toffee pudding cake with grilled pears and custard ice cream.  Both were gloriously rich, filling and delicious. Our visit to The Coach Makers Arms had cheered us up no end, and we left with full bellies, after indulging in some excellent and hearty pub fayre.

And if you do feel the need to stick to healthy options at the start of 2018, don’t fear, guests can have the Saints vs Sinners menu. This New Year’s resolution menu is just £15 per head.

The Coach Makers Arms, 88 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2PY

T: 020 7224 4022  E: reservations@thecoachmakersarms.co.uk

www.thecoachmakersarms.co.uk