The Queens, Primrose Hill: what to order and when to go
A grand Victorian Young's pub at the foot of Primrose Hill, with a terrace, a Sunday roast and food until 21:30 on a Wednesday.
By Only Camden Editorial
Open 11:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday, 11:00 to 22:30 Sunday. Food Monday to Saturday 12:00 to 21:30, Sunday 12:00 to 21:00. Book for the roast and the upstairs room, walk in for the bar.
The Queens (the pub spells it The Queen’s) is at 49 Regents Park Road, NW1 8XD, on the corner where St George’s Terrace, facing Primrose Hill, turns into the curved shopping street of Regent’s Park Road. It sits in Camden, at the foot of the hill, and Young’s runs it. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) lists it as an Asset of Community Value and calls it a “rather grand Victorian pub”. Fair enough: it is a three-storey neo-classical building with an apsed ground floor facing the park.
What to order
The Sunday roast. The pub’s own menu page promises slow-cooked meats, seasonal vegan roasts and sharing roasts with large Yorkshire puddings and gravy. Young’s group roast page lists rump of beef, chicken, pork belly and a beetroot Wellington, but that page is a couple of years old, so check the Queens menu before you set your heart on one.
A pint of cask. Young’s London Original and London Special are the regular cask ales, with changing guest beers alongside, according to CAMRA and WhatPub.
Something summery. The pub has promoted a summer spritz list (Aperol, Hugo and others) and mentions an Aperol Spritz on the terrace. DesignMyNight also says there is a range of Bloody Marys.
Bar snacks and seasonal British plates. That is how the pub describes its food, alongside a seasonal wine list. Past Tripadvisor reviewers mention fish pie, pies, burgers and fish and chips, though those are anecdotal and menus change.
Where to sit
There is an upstairs dining room and a terrace overlooking the hill. The pub itself says the terrace is “widely considered” the best table in Primrose Hill. That is its own marketing, so take it as a reason to try, not a ruling. Downstairs, the CAMRA listing ticks real fire, dog friendly, family friendly and WiFi. Do not expect a beer garden: WhatPub lists the outdoor space as pavement seating. There is also a private room overlooking the park for parties.
When to go
Weekends are the busy stretch, and the roast is the reason. Tripadvisor reviewers say the downstairs and dining room fill up on Sundays, and one was asked to move from a table that had been booked. Book ahead if you want the upstairs room.
For a calmer pint, aim for a midweek afternoon or an early evening. On a Wednesday, the kitchen runs until 21:30. Opening and food hours were simplified after a refurbishment in January 2025, so ignore older listings that show noon openings and meals until 22:00.
Prices and booking
DesignMyNight rates it “Happily Affordable ££”. Exact dish prices change, so look at the PDFs on the menus page before you go. To book, use the form on the pub’s site or ring 020 7586 0408.
A bit of history
The building dates from the mid-1850s (CAMRA says c.1854, Wikipedia and the Primrose Hill history society say 1855). It was a pub and hotel, still operating as a hotel at least until 1970, with stabling in St George’s Mews. The sign showed Queen Victoria on one side and a young Queen Alexandra on the other. In 1996 it became a theme pub with an African zoo motif, and regulars Kingsley Amis, Robert Stephens and Peter Quennell were reportedly horrified. According to CAMRA, the three entrances on Regent’s Park Road are now two, because the central one became a window.
For after: Primrose Hill itself
The pub sits right at the foot of the hill, and the summit is free. The Royal Parks says it is one of London’s six protected viewpoints. In good weather, go up before sunset. Check the hours first: the Royal Parks says that from 3 April to 8 November the hill is closed 22:00 to 06:00 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, with gates installed for it. Weekday nights it stays open 24 hours. Details are on the Royal Parks page.
The verdict: go midweek for the terrace and a cask pint, go on Sunday for the roast, and book either way if you want upstairs. More at the pub’s website.
