Hackney takeaway owner opens The Great Indian gastropub

The Great Indian in Marlborough Road, Upper Holloway was originally The Prince Alfred – renowned as an old fashioned real ale pub and folk music venue.

But according to the CAMRA website it has had a “chequered” recent past under different managements as The Smyth Arms, The Sussex Bar and The Fixer Upper.

The Prince Alfred was known as a traditional unmodernised real ale pub which hosted folk music nights. (Image: Wikimedia Commons) It finally closed in April 2024 but in January it was reborn as a 100-seat Indian gastropub. The new owner is behind a popular Hackney takeaway of the same name, and the menu showcases regional cuisines across the Indian subcontinent.

There is also a nod to classic pub dishes under Chef Jolly, an award-winning chef and TV personality on MasterChef India.

He has teamed up with Aman Dhir, who founded Hackney-based The Great Indian takeaway in his own kitchen to run a pub that feels as though it has always belonged to the neighbourhood.

Punters can pop in for a pint and a snack or enjoy the full restaurant experience in the dining room. (Image: The Great Indian) Punters can choose from casual seating where they can pop in for a pint of Guinness, Cobra or Beavertown on tap and a snack – or the dining area for the full restaurant experience.

The dining room is decorated in green tones and classic pub tiles, vibrant wallpaper and rattan lightshades and furniture, while there are cosy banquettes and stools by the green tiled bar for casual drinkers.  

The menu features dishes drawn from across the Indian subcontinent. (Image: The Great Indian) The menu boasts small and sharing plates as well as hearty main portions including a Lamb Ghee Roast on Malabar bread Taco, Cafreal Tiger Prawns cooked in the tandoor with cloves, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar, and Chargrilled Chicken Liver served on top of fluffy naan.

Other crowd-pleasers are TGI Butter Chicken, Slow Cooked Short Rib topped with curried mashed potato, and a Lamb Shank Pie served with a saffron-cardamom sauce.

A separate section champions Pao or Pav, India’s answer to the slider, with fillings like Goan Portuguese Confit Pork Belly with pickled cabbage and Tandoori Fried Chicken.

Dishes are inspired by Chef Jolly’s travels across India and make use of a huge bespoke tandoor oven.

The pub also offers a strong wine list, and cocktail menu influenced by Indian flavours including the signature cocktail of kafir lime infused vodka, Sollasa, lime and curry leaves, and the Imli Margarita infused with tamarind and chilli.

With an outdoor seating area for the summer, the owners hope The Great Indian can follow in the successful footsteps of Islington venture The Tamil Prince.

The Great Indian is at 139, Marlborough Road, N19 and also offers a takeaway menu for collection and delivery via Deliveroo or UberEATS.