Review: Lowlander Grand Cafe

I have always wanted to learn more about beer, as a cider drinker I don’t usually drink beer but when I was invited to the Lowlander Grand Cafe to try some of their extensive range of Belgian beers* I jumped at the chance to learn more. Not far from Covent Garden, the Lowlander sits on Dury Lane and claims to be a unique and unpretentious hidden gem in the city, offering inimitable hospitality and a modern, stylish and vibrant atmosphere for customers to enjoy traditional Belgian beer and a good meal.

The Lowlander aims to offer a timeless, archetypal Belgian bar setting with a collection of posters and placards, boasting the names of Belgium’s iconic beers and breweries on the surrounding walls offering a quirky, eclectic feel to the interior, which we discovered certainly gives a relaxed, fun atmosphere with table service from knowledgeable staff who can explain the backgrounds of the extensive selection of beers.

Now, let’s talk about the drinks! The Lowlander boasts over 100 beers in their selection, including 15 draught, five ‘guest’ and a Lowlander ‘Beer of the Month’. Leffe, Chimay and Duvel to lesser-known artisan varieties are available, as well as fruit and flavoured beers, such as zesty cherry Kriek Boon (something my husband and I tried on our honeymoon trip around Europe when we were actually in Brussels), sweet Mongozo Coconut or creamy, chocolaty Westmalle Dubbel. If you want to give something a go the Lowlander offers 1/3 pint tasters of their draught brews which you can try without dedicating yourself to a pint.

During our visit, my husband and I were offered the chance to try a number of the draught beers in the 1/3 pint taster glasses, as well as some Cider, Kriek and bottled beer. Alongside our samples we enjoyed a selection of olives, nuts and cheese with the Lowlander believing that good beer should match perfectly with beer, even incorporating drinks as ingredients, such as The Lowlander Framboise Parma salad which comes with a Framboise Boon beer dressing and the Jerk salmon skewers come alongside a Barbar Honey beer dip. Not forgetting the ‘Beer Boards’, tapas style-tasting plates which come with matched draught beers.

Lee Nicolson, Head of Operations commented; “We at Lowlander aim to bring an authentic taste of Belgium to London. We’re very passionate about our unrivalled beer selection and complementing food menu. Lowlander is open for both drink and food reviews, please contact us for further information or to arrange.”

As I mentioned earlier, I am not a huge beer aficionado, often finding them to be too bitter and hoppy but the General Manager Rich picked out some beers I really enjoyed mostly amber beers which I hadn’t really considered before. We really enjoyed learning about The Lowlander and their range of beers. If you are a lover of beer or like me want to learn more, I recommend a visit.  We award The Lowlander Grand Cafe 4 out of 5 stars.