We’re all familiar with and have at one time or another been patrons of a pub. The public house, or pub for the sake of brevity, has been a mainstay of European civilizations dating back to Roman times. But what is a gastropub, and how does it differ from the traditional pub?
Gastropub Origins
Located in London, The Eagle Farringdon is widely considered the very first gastropub. Michael Belben and David Eyre took over the lease for the establishment in 1991. According to The Eagle’s website, Belben and Eyre “added a decent selection of wine and a few rums to the draught beer and lager that was already on offer.” They also extended the kitchen’s space and offerings. Still in business today, The Eagle features its dishes in a cookbook titled The Eagle Cookbook: Recipes from the Original Gastropub.
Though the term gastropub was coined by The Eagle, it is British chef Fergus Henderson who largely inspired the cuisine of the gastropub. Meaty, comforting and hearty are the words used to describe Henderson’s simply crafted fare. Henderson opened St. John Restaurant in 1994 and its sister gastropub St. John Bread and Wine in 2003, both nestled in London.
“The differences I see with a gastropub is essentially it is still a pub; it’s still a bar, but it ends up being a bar with some elevated food,” says Connor O’Neill, general manager and director of operations at Westies Gastropub & Tavern located in the Brewery District. “Traditional sports bars are dying, but you can go to your local gastropub where they tend to have a bunch of TVs, it’s still dark and inviting, you can still meet all of your friends and hang out, and you can expect to have a higher quality of food.”
Coming to America
As was the case with the British Invasion of the mid-‘60s, the gastropub concept arrived in America during the late ‘80s, early ‘90s. Gastropubs have now proliferated across the nation – not just in top dining destinations like Chicago, New York, New Orleans and Los Angeles – but into destinations like San Antonio, Texas; Tuscon, Arizona; Greenville, South Carolina and here in Columbus.
So what makes Columbus an attractive location for gastropubs? Mobility is an important factor.
“Columbus and Chicago have so much in common, but ease of travel in Columbus is so different,” says O’Neill. “Especially with traffic and things like that. You can get from one end of the city to the other in a reasonable amount of time.”
Columbus is a place where people cherish dining out, value comfort and want to be able to go out and meet their friends. The next time you plan to eat out, consider one of the many gastropubs the city has to offer.
Nathan Collins is a managing editor. Feedback welcome at ncollins@cityscenemediagroup.com.
