Crusting Pipe Wine Bar

One cannot find a more central location in Covent Garden than the Crusting Pipe on the lower ground floor of the Market. It has the welcoming wood panelled interior one associates with Davy Group restaurants and wine bars, as well as an al fresco section from which to enjoy the live music from Covent Garden’s many street musicians – some of whom will surely appear in the Opera House before long!

The menu offers hearty English fayre at reasonable prices. Main courses cost about £9.00 on average and include seared swordfish, rib eye steak and traditional bangers and mash. Starters come at around £5 each and Scottish smoked salmon catches the eye along with buffalo mozzarella, vine tomato and basil salad. There is a fine cheeseboard and sturdy desserts including treacle tart and bread and butter pudding. Monday to Wednesday, there is a wonderfully priced set menu available with 2 courses at £13.95 and 3 courses at £16.95.

All outside tables are self service from the bar but, for those too exhausted by the demands of sightseeing in Covent Garden, there is table service indoors.

House wines are £14.25 per bottle and there is a good selection of French, Italian and New World wines costing on average £17. Champagne, sherry, Madeira and port also abound as one might expect from Davy’s who were originally and remain, wine merchants of distinction. A further point to note is the wine of the month, something special at a special price.