When George Osborne cut the ribbon to launch the Red Lion’s new incarnation, did a couple of jars of Brit Hop persuade the Chancellor to knock a penny off a pint in his spring 2014 Budget a few
days later? Situated between Westminster and No 10, this medieval heritage hostelry has played host to Wilson, Atlee and Churchill (among others), and its shiny new coat is distinctly conservative
(with a small C). So too, the menu of traditional British fare: think ham hock, Stilton pear and walnut salad, beer-battered fish and chips, and savoury pies of various descriptions, plus lunchtime
‘soup and a sandwich’ deals and some nanny-knows-best puds. Cask ales from owners Fuller’s of Chiswick take London Pride of place, alongside the likes of Chimay and Sierra Nevada, while wines (from
£16) include some decent by-the-glass offers.