Tipped

If You're in the Neighborhood

February 22, 2008

I met some old friends at the Cross Keys recently for a catchup drink. I've walked by this place dozens of times before, but never had the reason to duck inside, so I was interested to see what it was like. The Cross Keys has that sort of lovingly cluttered style to it (you know, the kind that has been co-opted by the TGI Fridays of the world) with a lot of old copper pots hanging from the ceilings and the walls lined with framed old political cartoons and period advertisements.
The place itself is rather small, with about 8 or 9 small tables lining the wall and a big bar dominating most of the space. Although it was a little crowded when we arrived, we were able to snag a table pretty easily after we got our drinks and had a pleasant time chatting. The one thing I'd say is that it's not a terribly remarkable place. There isn't much selection at the bar (although my friends were satisfied to find their favourite pear cider), there was no food in evidence beyond packets of crisps, and as mentioned its size is rather diminutive. If you're in the area, go ahead and drop by for a pint in the afternoon, but you needn't set a course for the Cross Keys if you aren't anywhere nearby.

Tags: small, pear cider