Living in the neighbourhood, the Longwood has become our go-to pub, so it's the pub that's the focus of this review.
Longwood beer, as any beer, is a matter of personal taste. My taste leans toward British-style ales, and I'm more than happy with their malt-forward ESB, Irish red ale, Scottish ale, and Imperial Stout. They have four hand pumps, or beer engines, that add to the British flavour of their beers, and their serving temperature is a cool cellar temperature. Their other beers include a pilsner, an IPA, a dunkel, and a blond ale. On Friday afternoons at 3:00, a special cask ale is tapped, and for me, it's usually their IPA's with additional hops that are the best. Beer prices are reasonable... 5 stars!
What about the food? 2 to 3 stars! I approach everything I eat here as pub food, and for me, it's generally decent pub food, but definitely on the spendy side considering the lack of creativity that is evident in most dishes. These days, I usually choose not to eat here since I see little value in what they serve. Unfortunately, there is no love for what they bring out of the kitchen.
I've tried almost all their burgers, and my personal favourites are the lamb burger (about $18) and the turkey burger (about $17), both with feta cheese. I often sub out the fries, which I like, for the excellent Longwood house salad, which I really like. The Chicken Quesadillas (about $16), Blackened Chicken Avocado salad and Harbour salad (about $16 or $20), Longwood Nachos (about $14 or $19), and Calamari (about $15) are other favourites. If you're less peckish and looking for a snack, the house-made kettle chips with chipotle mayo are mighty fine for under $4.
A few definite misses... The New York Steak Sandwich (about $19) is iffy. On one occasion, it was basically inedible with fat and gristle. Although many like the Mini Yorkshire Beef Sliders (about $15), I'm not sure why since they're pedestrian at best - I tried them once, but never again. The Salt and Pepper Ribs are a rip off at about $15 - about half a dozen deep-fried rib end pieces (the cheap part) on top of some matchstick potatoes and shredded carrot, all in a small bowl with a side of dipping sauce. Forget this one! And with so many spots offering decent chicken wing specials around town these days, it seems silly spend almost $15 for their mediocre ones.
Service is always attentive and friendly. If you're a pool player, they have a beautiful table in a separate room that's free, but expect to run into some serious players who actually bring their own cues! The pub can be loud at busy times, and tables can be tough to find, but outside patio tables are available in decent weather. Or you can check out the restaurant upstairs - they have live jazz on Thursday nights. If you're a fan of English-style beer, the Longwood is definitely worth a visit. read more