The Cove, 1 The Piazza, Covent Garden

The Cove, 1 The Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2E 8HB

Climb the stairs above a well-known pasty shop and you arrive in a mocked-up version of a Cornish pirate’s den. Avast! (in your best pirate voice), there be photos of ships, bits of old rope and tasty Cornish ales. Arrr, if its sustenance you’ll be wanting, all you need to do is be grabbing one of the wondrous variety of pasties served downstairs. Apart from the delicious pasties and beer, the other main attraction is the balcony which is the ideal spot to gaze at the hoards of out-of-towners and tourists milling about aimlessly in the Piazza. The downside is that a good proportion of that hoard spill into the pub and it gets seriously overcrowded.

Reviewed by Paul Melton, Oct 2008

This pub had a change in management and it's not as friendly a place as it used to be.

I've been kicked out of the pub after asking them to lower the music a couple of times as it was impossible to speak with friends. All the people in front of the bar were forced to move to other rooms to speak with their mates! I was forced to shout to order the beer and I stated "you can't understand me if you carry on with the music at this volume". Soon after I asked for the address of the owner to write a complaint letter and they kicked me out!

Unbelievable poor service and the manager is not capable to understand what customer service is about. I doubt she's able to manage the place too as I found it unusually empty for a Friday evening (it used to be packed!).

We'll come back to the place once the management changes.

Reviewed by Frank, Jan 2007

Telephone: 020 7836 8336

Nearby pubs: The Globe, 37 Bow Street (150 metres), The Opera Tavern, 23 Catherine St, Covent Garden (180 metres), The Punch and Judy, 40 The Market, The Piazza (0 metres), The Maple Leaf, 41 Maiden Lane (120 metres), The Lamb and Flag, 33 Rose Street (180 metres), The Corner Store, 33 Wellington Street (130 metres), The Nag's Head, 10 James Street (120 metres), The Porterhouse, 21-22 Maiden Lane (150 metres), Nell of Old Drury, 29 Catherine Street (180 metres), The Essex Serpent, 6 King St (120 metres)

Nearest station: Covent Garden, Zone 1 (130 metres)