Balls Brothers have a selection of pubs all around Central London and the Square Mile. Favourites amongst the after work crowds in particular; Balls Brothers specialize in great food, great service and a lengthy choice of wines. This week I popped into Balls Brothers Bury Court, just a stones throw from Liverpool Street, to see what the rest of us have been missing out on.
The Venue:
Weave your way through the back streets of Bishopsgate and stumble upon the quiet and unassuming Bury Court, standing at the very foot of The Gherkin and in amongst a flurry of surrounding buildings. Balls Brothers Bury Court occupies one of these buildings, taking the form of a large, open and welcoming pub in the heart of this business district.
Balls Brothers Bury Court looks like a traditional English Pub, decked out with comfortable banquettes, high stools and a dark wooden finish. The long bar stretches the length of the main room leaving plenty of space for suited City types to squeeze in when the pub is busy. When we arrive, one side of the pub is set up for dining and laid out with cutlery and wine glasses, where as the adjacent side is left free for casual drinkers.
Tables set out ready for dinner at Balls Brothers Bury Court
The Ambience & Clientele:
On this occasion the pub was very quiet, but this was a Monday night and not Bury Court's main time to shine - the usual rush here arrives after work on a Thursday and Friday and for a midweek lunch, with City bosses heading in for informal meetings and staying through the afternoon. Nonetheless, the staff greeted us with a smile and lead us to the dining area. The place boasted a scattering of casual drinkers, and the mood was relaxed and comfortable.
Balls Brothers Bury Court's succulent Ribeye Steak
The Food & Drink:
The menu is typically British, offering classic dishes such as Haddock and Chips. Balls Brothers isn't your typical pub chain though, and although the choices may be similar elsewhere, the dishes here are given an added touch of class; for instance you can also order Swordfish as a main, and the choice of sides on the menu includes quail eggs. My friend ordered the meaty Balls Brothers burger, while I felt possessed to try the 1/2lb Dry-Aged Rib Eye Steak, and I wasn't disappointed. Served with chips and a creamy peppercorn sauce, the steak was tender, juicy and cooked to perfection.
We had initially opted for a Bordeaux, but our server recommended a Pinot Noir to match our meat dishes; a nice touch of personal service and good advice, as both food and drink complemented each other perfectly. The choice of wines is extensive and most are reasonably priced between £20-£30, meaning this City spot doesn't only cater to rich banker types. In addition, a happy hour on Monday-Friday between 5-8pm, means customers can nab a bottle at 50% off, with additional discounts on beers and champagne cocktails too.
Good selection of wines at Bury Court
If you head to Balls Brothers Bury Court at 6pm on a Friday (they're closed Saturday & Sunday) you will probably have quite a different experience to the one we had, and might find it a little harder to find a table. Nonetheless I'd expect that the service, standards and quality of food and drink, would not diminish. Balls Brothers have a simple formula; to serve good food and drinks well and for a not unreasonable price - a simple formula that they do very well, setting a standard that other chains might wish to take note of.
