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The Grapes Pub and Seafood Restaurant, Near Limehouse Basin, East London

The Grapes is on Narrow Street, close to Canary Wharf, truly a narrow street running parallel to the River Thames through the Limehouse area of East London.

Built in 1720, on the site of previous public houses dating from the earliest in 1583, The Grapes was a Thames waterside tavern for the working classes, particularly serving the workers of Limehouse Basin.

Some would say this is "Possibly the perfect pub" having managed to survive the recent Docklands redevelopments all around it. This shows what a special place it is. This narrow little pub has now attained listed building status.

We found The Grapes pub bar to be cosy and welcoming.

We booked our table for two at The Grapes for 19.15 arriving for a pre dinner drink in the ground floor public bar at 18.45 where we found the part-paneled bar hosts lots of etchings and prints, mainly of 19th century theatrical luvvies and some elaborate acid etched windows. We took our drinks out on to the river view deck and watched the river traffic making its way with and against the quick ebbing tide.

Beers: Timothy Taylor, Marston's Pedigree and Guest Ales

The Grapes Bar Opening Times:
Monday to Thursday 12.00 - 15.00 and 17.30 - 23.00
Friday to Sunday 12.00 - 23.00

The first floor seafood restaurant has just 28 covers, and as we were the early birds we were positioned at one of the two Thames view tables! Later arrivals were obviously envious!

The Grapes Seafood Restaurant Opening Times
Monday to Saturday 12.00 - 14.00 and 19.00 - 21.00
Sunday 12.00 - 15.30

The six main course fish dishes: Salmon, Scallops, Scampi, Sea Bass, Swordfish, Lemon Sole, are all one price (£15.95 ea. - July 2010) with a selection of potatoes and salad or vegetable portions (extra).

With pre dinner drinks, 2 starters, 2 main courses, 2 deserts, coffee and bottle of house wine + tip; don't expect much change out of £100. For a really special occasion, well worth it!

The Grapes AKA The Bunch of Grapes stands at the end of a rare London example of an early Georgian brick terrace. These early Georgian houses can be distinguished from late ones in the way that the windows are not set back from the brick frontage.

This 16th century tavern is one of London’s most characteristic old Thames-side public houses, in a fairly quiet area, well off the beaten track and tourist routes. The back part of the pub seen from the Thames river trips and featuring in their commentary is the oldest façade, the recently refurbished back balcony is a great place for a sheltered Thames-side drink; steps lead down to the foreshore.

The Grapes, Public House and Sea Food Restaurant
76 Narrow Street, Limehouse, London E14 8BP

The Grapes Telephone Number: 020 7987 4396

The Grapes Pub & Seafood Restaurant Location Map

Narrow Street is also home to a couple of other pubs and restaurants, including The Narrow, an overrated gastropub owned by the 'F-Word' chef Gordon Ramsay, and Booty's Riverside Bar, an independently-owned pub which dates back to the 16th Century, with 19th century frontage.

The Dickens' connection to The Grapes Pub, Limehouse? - In Charles Dickens' Our Mutual Friend (Chapter 6. 'Cut Adrift') The Six Jolly Fellowship Porters is thought to be based on The Grapes which backs onto Limehouse Reach, and the detailed description of the interior certainly suggests to us that it is drawn from life. - "a bar to soften the human breast," a tiny haven "divided from the rough world," decorated with thick wood and heavy curtains, "cordial-bottles radiant with fictitious grapes in bunches, and lemons in nets, and biscuits in baskets." - "pressed so hard and so close (together) as to leave the hostelry not an inch of ground beyond its door."