Burn Baby Burn | The Fire Station Waterloo, 150 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8SB
It’s back! Photograph: london-se1.co.uk
The Fire Station just outside Waterloo station is a long-standing institution, back in the 80’s it was one of London’s first Gastropubs. It’s been closed for over a year whilst undergoing a transformation designed by Karim Mezeli at Concorde and much needed structural repair.
The invisible Man was so pleased that four of his portraits featured so prominently… Photograph: The Fire Station
Hose lighting… So creative
A month since the reopening it was rammed, with a location like theirs it’s always going to be a popular pit-stop. We expected that by 8pm that it would quieten down but it appeared people weren’t going anywhere. You can’t tell just how good a job the designers have done whilst it’s full, but empty it looks great. The cobalt blue banquette seating, glazed brickwork, tiled floors and dark wood panneling set the tone. But it’s the vintage fire station memorabilia, such as rare fire extinguishers hanging on the wall and lights constructed from old fire hoses that adds the finishing touches.
It’s a wrap, just before…
…the big reveal!
Get me a pizza that!
Pizzas and burgers feature highly on the menu – covering all the most popular London food trends. Ade rated the Black & Gold (£9.95) – a 6 oz dry aged beef patty, black pudding, double cheese, American mustard mayo, sliced beef tomato.
I mostly loved the Sweet potato fries (£3.50) and the Tomato Bread (£3.50) – stone baked dough pizza, confit garlic butter, tomato sauce and chilli oil. Even if it did look like a bit plain, at least it was something different that a non-cheese eater like I could eat.
The pizzas are light and crispy, GB Pizza style. A few unusual combos, such as the Smoked mackerel, king prawns, confit garlic butter base, marinated mozzarella, mascarpone, rocket, soft boiled egg (£12.50).
Bourbon, cherry and smoke… What’s not to like?
The best thing about this pub/bar and the main reason for our visit, were the smoked cocktails. With a name like The Fire Station, we’re surprised the whole menu isn’t smoked but perhaps that would be just too gimicky.
There’s wine from £18 a bottle and a whole heap of craft beers available too if cocktails aren’t your thing, oh and coffee by Caravan. Ade was overexcited by the Smoked Cherry Manhattan (£8.75) – all his favourite things in one drink.
Luckily Orange was there to cover Ice’s modesty…
A good cocktail? You FIG-ure it out!
The Cinnamon-Smoked Old Fashioned (£8.75) rated highly, although I’m sure if I took out the golf ball sized ice-sphere, there wouldn’t be much booze left in there. They could do with filling the glasses up a touch more with some of the cocktails.
LOVED the Pineapple & Black Pepper Margarita (£8.50) and the Vanilla & Fig Sour (£8.25), they’re definitely onto a winner on the cocktail front, all they need now is a post-commute happy hour…
thefirestationwaterloo.com
150 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8SB
Telephone: 020 3727 5938
Email: info@thefirestationwaterloo.com
Opening hours: Sun: 9am – 10:30pm Mon – Weds: 7am – 11pm
Thur – Fri: 7am – 12am Sat: 9am – 12am
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Nearest station: Waterloo Station (1 min walk)
We ate as guests of The Fire Station, this does not affect our review in any way. We always write with complete honesty.
It was always a great place to meet. But the noise levels used to make it hard to follow a conversation (I’m clearly showing my age here!). Have the acoustics been addressed at all?
Not at the front… But the tables at the back by the pizza ovens/open kitchen is quieter