The Gunmakers Marylebone

There’s something about an old British boozer that shouldn’t be messed with, so it would take a brave team to transform a pub that Winston Churchill used to frequent down one of Marylebone’s back streets. Those up to the task? Sommelier Xavier Rousset and chef Mark Jarvis.

Jarvis heads up Anglo in Farringdon and is known for his relaxed cooking style that heroes high-quality ingredients. The Gunmakers sets out to be no exception, with the modest aim of serving up London’s best roast dinner.

On that we can’t comment, having dined midweek, but the proper pub grub on the menu hinted at a team that knows its way round a classic dish or two. Wonderfully oily focaccia kicked things off and was followed by sweet, just-cooked scallops with perfectly caramelised edges and the safety of a tried-and-tested fresh apple and black pudding garnish.

To follow, a juicy Iberico pork chop, served with nutty Jerusalem artichoke crisps and a coffee purée that was both sweet and savoury and took the place of the typical fruit pairing, outshone a vegetarian option of mushroom risotto. Despite being creamy and well cooked, it somehow lacked the body and depth needed to elevate it from tasting like something you could make at home.

Generous portions left room for just a single dessert and ignoring the allure of a sticky toffee pudding we plumped for an Earl Grey crème brûlée. Alas, no crack, and a slightly curdled layer below the blackened top, both hinting at an enthusiastically too-high heat.

Interiors are a clashing mix of dark-green panelled walls, bright red leather upholstered high-back bench seating, black and white tiled floor and shooting memorabilia. The best seats in the house are, we reckon, the two bar stools positioned to look directly into the window that gives a glimpse of the kitchen at work.

A warm team and a robust drinks list (courtesy of Monsieur Rousset) complete the picture for a cosy basement spot where you could quite easily while away the hours on a chilly evening.

This long-standing Marylebone pub has been around for over 300 years and has operated under several different guises. Originally licensed in 1791 and then rebuilt 90 years later, The Gunmakers was formerly open under the moniker of The Bricklayers Arms, and was most recently home to the Scottish-inspired William Wallace. It’s also played host to a few famous faces over the years, with the likes of Winston Churchill propping up the bar in years gone by.

The latest development took place in the autumn of 2019, when chef Mark Jarvis and restaurateur Xavier Rousset decided to take over the venue, with plans to open an intimate 40-cover restaurant below the pub and add a further six bedrooms upstairs too for those looking for overnight accommodation. The basement restaurant serves a best-of-British menu overseen by Jarvis, while Rousset looks after the wine list, serving a list of bottles from around Europe.

The restaurant and bedrooms are still in development, but if you visit the pub today, you can expect to find a traditional boozer with old world interiors and a selection of beers, lagers and wines. There’s also a pub menu on the ground floor, which features snacks and traditional pub grub, for those who don’t want to have a full meal downstairs.

Jarvis was formerly a consultant at Mayfair restaurant Neo Bistro, as well as acting as head chef for Stem in the same neighbourhood. Both restaurants have since closed, but the chef’s critically acclaimed Anglo restaurant in Farringdon is still going strong.

Rousset, meanwhile, co-founded Michelin-starred Texture in Marylebone, as well as 28-50, which is a stylish wine bar and kitchen in the same neighbourhood. He is also the man behind Blandford Comptoir, French restaurant Cabotte and Greenwich Kitchen, which is found on the peninsula opposite the O2 arena.