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 March 2nd, 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 and English Sparkling Wine Bar.
Closed for over five years, the ground floor at The George re-opened in November 2021.
The intensive renovation pays homage to its history as a hub for the political, cultural and
social movements of the late 18th century, a home to writers and poets in the 20th century
and, in recent years, a hideaway for local creatives.
The ground floor offers a classic British
pub experience with eleven cask beers and craft ales, all made in the UK, served alongside
seasonal cocktails and British pub food including a black pudding Scotch egg, classic
Ploughman’s, and The George Burger & Chips.
The Dining Room
Whilst the ground floor pub retains the listed ornate timber panelling and mirrored back bar
to create a classic pub environment, 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 wild 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 including chateaubriand with butter
glazed vegetables, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, bone marrow sauce, and horseradish
cream.
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”.
The English Sparkling Wine Bar
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.
Private Dining
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.
