Following the reopening of historic Fitzrovia pub The George on Great Portland Street, JKS Restaurants and publican Dominic Jacobs are gearing up to unveil ‘Upstairs at The George’ with a dining experience led by James Knappett, of two Michelin-star restaurant Kitchen Table.
Set to open on 2 March, Upstairs at The George will offer pub classics with a focus on seasonal and responsibly sourced produce. The new space will comprise three rooms; a Dining Room, Private Dining Room (pictured), and English Sparkling Wine Bar.
Upstairs at The George has been designed to reflect its use as the grand late Georgian living quarters of its previous landlords. The main dining room, which seats up to 28 guests, is a fresh and calm space, naturally lit through the large regency windows.
The menu at Upstairs at The George will focus on elevating British pub classics featuring dishes inspired by James Knappett’s memories of growing up in his family’s pubs.
The new menu will feature hearty, comforting classics such as Sausage and Mash with two types of sausage, cured and stuffed in house, one made with venison haunch and the other lightly seasoned pork shoulder, served with creamy mash and onion gravy; Steak Tartare with hay-smoked egg yolk, maple and black pepper sourdough; Devilled Veal Kidneys on Flor sourdough and Scottish Langoustine Scampi with chips, tartar sauce and crushed peas.
Desserts are equally comforting and nostalgic, including a Knickerbocker Glory with vanilla ice cream, salted caramel toffee, and chocolate fudge brownie. On Sundays, Upstairs at The George will offer classic Sunday Roasts with all the trimmings.
James Knappett says, “The menu respects the heritage of British pub culture. While we will use exceptional seasonal ingredients and provenance, our menu will still reflect the magical simplicity of classic pub food. I hope the new menu will reinvigorate the nation’s love of British classics done well”.
Next to the dining room sits the English Sparkling Wine Bar. This is a small, elegant space where guests can enjoy a carefully curated mix of English sparkling wines and cocktails. An original Victorian fireplace has been modified to include an ice well, which is stocked with English sparkling wines.
Head of Wine for JKS Restaurants, Seamus Sharkey, has conducted tours with The George team, of over twenty wineries over the past three months, from Essex to West Sussex, visiting producers to hand-pick the finest selection of wines for the opening. The English wine offering will champion more than eighty references from around the country including unique wines from certain estates not available anywhere else in the UK.
Running alongside the English wine list, will be a comprehensive selection of wines from around the world. The George will offer an extensive list of 300 wines, with best representations of regions and varietals available at every price point.
Cocktails are aperitif and digestif style, with a focus on British spirits and seasonal ingredients, such as the Smoked Cherry Kir Royale with applewood smoked amarena cherry and Rathfinny Blanc de Noirs; and a Gimlet with London dry gin, sheep’s sorrel and Granny Smith apple.
The Private Dining Room, seating up to 20 guests, is an intimate space with two existing elegant Victorian fireplaces. A large bespoke stained glass window remains the focal point that anchors the long dining table, adorned by large candelabras.
Visitors to The George will be able to reserve this room for breakfasts, business lunches, intimate dinners and special occasions throughout the day.
Adjacent to the private dining room, the staircase to nowhere, a quirky design feature which leads to the ceiling, has been transformed into an impressive temperature-controlled wine room displaying the extensive wine collection that backs up the dramatic wine vault in the basement, where guests can sample some of the more unique bottles.