Overlooking Petticoat Lane Market, and a short stroll from Old Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane, The Culpeper is in a distinguished Victorian building with a tiled façade (plus an old Truman’s brewery sign). The pub dates from 1884 and until recently was named the Princess Alice. In 2013 it was bought by a group of young entrepreneurs. They ran it under its old name for 18 months before reopening after refurbishments in 2014 as The Culpeper, a nod to Nicholas Culpeper, a 17th-century botanist, herbalist and physician who lived in Spitalfields. Five bedrooms opened last month.
In a nutshell
High windows allow light to flood in to the L-shaped main room, with its curving zinc-topped bar. Steps lead up to a convivial restaurant and further steps lead to the bedrooms and a wonderful roof terrace with a herb garden, where drinks and food are served if the weather is good. The design is “rough luxe”: stripped walls with streaks of paint, exposed old brickwork, scuffed wood floors plus designer lights, smart leather window seats and the odd splash of modern art.
What are the rooms like?
They’re small but perfectly formed, with sisal floors, more walls with strips of old wallpaper and paint, good quality beds with Hypnos mattresses and Fine Bedding Company linen, digital radios and espresso machines. Window insulation works well (hardly any noise rises from Commercial Street) and there’s a cosy feel, as though you’re tucked away from the East End bustle. All rooms are from £120 B&B, competitively priced against the Ibis London City across the street. Rooms four and five are the smallest.
Which is the best room?
Room one is the biggest, with a view of the tip of the Gherkin.
So what’s the food like?
Fish and chips and sandwiches are served in the main bar, while the restaurant offers more sophisticated dishes from a three-course menu. Smoked cod’s roe was garlicky and salty and served with hunks of fresh bread to mop up the sauce. My main, tender pork shoulder with roast potatoes and apple sauce, came with a first-rate yorkshire pudding. The rhubarb and custard tart was sweet and sharp at the same time, with perfect pastry. Three courses are from about £27. Guests get a 10 per cent food and drink discount.
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Who goes there?
Hipsters and foodies (the chef Yotam Ottolenghi was at the next table).
What else is there to do?
Explore Spitalfields and drop by at The Culpeper’s sister pub on Brick Lane, The Archers. This is a delightfully laid-back place with a simple 1960s-style interior and with R&B, soul, hip-hop and rock’n’roll playing on a stereo. Try a refreshingly smooth Chelsea Blonde beer at The Culpeper itself.
The highs, the lows, the verdict
Nine out of ten. Great value and good fun, but some bar noise reaches the rooms.
Tom Chesshyre
Need to know
Tom Chesshyre was a guest of The Culpeper (020 7247 5371, theculpeper.com), 40 Commercial Street, London E1 6LP; B&B doubles are from £120; no wheelchair-access rooms; no single-occupancy discount; no dogs allowed