The Prince of Greenwich:
London's Museum Pub
I have always had a weakness for pubs and could possibly live on a diet consisting solely of fish and chips and beer, if it wasn't for health reasons. There are many pubs in London I love but The Prince of Greenwich is surely unlike any of them.
It's not fish and chips you should expect upon arrival, but the finest southern Italian food, from homemade pizza and pasta to fresh fish and seafood and mouthwatering desserts. Should you be lucky, Pietro La Rosa himself will greet you like a long lost friend and you're likely to fall under his spell like I did nearly 3 years ago. The whole place is filled with fascinating objects that wouldn't be out of place in a museum. Indeed, The Prince of Greenwich is a museum pub.
'You must have coffee and you need to eat' says Pietro with a smile. I make my excuses about coffee as it's 4pm and I'd risk a sleepless night. I'm amazed to learn he has his coffee before bedtime at 2am and doesn't need more than 4 hours of sleep. Pietro is full of energy and only his grey hair and beard betray his age. He is an amazing host and before I know it, a mix of irresistible bruschetta and a glass of chilled beer appears in front of me.
'We eat the same food upstairs with my family' my Sicilian host admits. Pietro is having a cappuccino while I'm holding an artichoke bruschetta in one hand and a pen in the other one.
The idea of Soho 24 came to me one evening in a pub in 2014. You must know that feeling when you're enjoying yourself in an excellent company until you realise that unless you leave right now, you will miss your last train home? A thought occurred to me that once a year I would love to stay in Soho day and night. I would like to explore new places, revisit those corners I love, meet people and celebrate this exciting area of London.