The Church Key Bistro-Pub

One of our favourite places to eat and also one of the most consistent and best places to eat in London. The atmosphere, the quality of the food and price to quality ratio combined with very good service make this a top choice for dining out. Think upscale pub food bursting with flavour and inventive pairings of food groups along with decent beer and wine choices for reasonable prices and you have Church Key. We have not yet tried the brunch but lunches and dinners have never disappointed and we return whenever we can. I have never left hungry or feeling I did not get decent value for my dining out dollars. We like the vibe and judging by how busy it can be most times (reserve is a good idea) many others feel the same. One of the better dining options on Richmond Row and in the city overall.

The Church Key is one of London’s hidden gems. If you love expertly prepared eclectic food, you must eat here! My husband enjoyed fish and chips, an area favourite, of course. I ordered the Ploughman’s plate, which was a feast for the senses! We could have easily ordered everything on the menu as it all sounded mouthwatering. Stop in for lunch or supper (they even have Sunday brunch). You will be so glad you did!

SF Bay-​Area worthy food in a cute spot in London Ontario. Fried Deviled eggs delicately breaded in panko crumbs were a tasty surprise, and I had the burger with side of beef broth onion cheese soup that made for a clever twist on French Onion Soup. I asked for ketchup and my knowledgeable waiter said, «it comes with a homemade tomato jam.» I thought about saying: «I want my Heinz, dammit,» but then realized that’s not going to go over well in Canada and besides he looked like he really thought I’d be better off with the tomato jam. He was right, I learned something, and enjoyed my meal immensely with a delicious Hacker-​Pschorr Weissbier. Definitely woetj a stop if you find yourself in London!

A fantastic English style pub with a unique and changing menu. They also had some great beers on tap I haven’t seen anywhere else. It’s a great place to get attentive service, delicious food and a tasty pint.
It’s just on the edge of being too pricey, but then we got some free pretzel bread and all was forgiven. I’m a sucker for pretzel bread. My wife and I split a burger, fries and the Irish Enchilada. It was a ton of food for the two of us, but damnit, we’re not quitters.
We’re not much for mixed drinks so I can’t speak to that side of things, but they had a variety of cocktails and liquors available if that’s your thing.
I’m glad to have stumbled into this place for a random Thursday dinner. I will definitely be returning!

The Church Key is great. By London’s standards, it might even rival «the best». It is the kind of place that deserves to be in Toronto, where a human with a real paying job, goes to after work with a friend, sits on a patio, drinks a REAL drink, not your bullshit «Vodka cran» or «appletini».
— Food —
The food is great. I will admit, I have only tried the taquittos, which were phenomenal.
— Drinks —
The menu is great. Would highly recommend Mill Street Organic. Nothing too fancy.
— Overall —
I will admit this is a shorter review but it doesn’t really need an extensive review. It is a great place that is simple, to the point, attentive staff, a great patio experience that just really screams, I feel like I’ve finally escaped the awful drab city called London. Please give these guys a shot, they’re worth it during the summer.

I’ve given this place enough chances. I have no idea what people are ordering there that seems to be so good. I’ve been pretty unimpressed by everything i have ordered but today takes the cake.
I ordered the ale soup and the cheese was barely melted yet scorched in a couple of spots. It tasted cold and burnt at the same time.
I also ordered the duck confit salad which came out really flabby and uncrisp. I discreetly asked our server to ask the kitchen to crisp it up. She came back almost instantly with a deep fried duck leg. Obviously my request annoyed the kitchen and they were going to teach me a lesson. It worked.
We won’t be back.

Over the holidays, my wife and I were fortunate enough to have our second ever trip to The Church Key.
In becoming new parents twice in twenty months, we are at a point in our lives where date night is me picking up take out sushi and a bottle of wine while my wife is wrestling a two year old into her bed.
This all changed in late December when the moons aligned and I was able to line up a baby sitter in order for us to be able to get out and celebrate our fifth anniversary.
As a big live theatre fan, I was able to surprise my wife with tickets to «A Christmas Story» at the grand theatre, AND our kids felt enough implied moral obligation to go to sleep that we were able to leave the house early enough before the show to grab an appetizer and some drinks across the street at The Church Key.
Once you walk in the door, the first thing that stands out to you is that it differs so much from your average Richmond Row spot open after dark.
No scantily clad 19 year olds standing in line outside in –8 degree weather saving $ 2 on coat check by lining up in their boots and skirts. No dudes in tight affliction shirts bumping into you and yelling «SORRY BRO» over the pulsating beats of Tiesto with the smell of jäger oozing from their breath. Adulthood is kind of nice! Just delicious smells, well dressed people, and clean and welcoming décor.
As it is a show night, the restaurant was crowded and we were able to only grab seats at the bar. No problemo.
The bartender, Demar? Was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Within thirty seconds of sitting down, he was able to glean that we were there for the show and out for our anniversary, and I was hungry and liked beer and my wife liked wine and we only had 30 minutes.
Our drinks were in front of us before our coats were off, and our curry fries were ordered before my first sip of delicious Granville Island.
This is a perfect date spot — not too crowded, and not too loud to have a conversation. The beer was cold and tasty, and the curry fries were DELICIOUS.
The British have really figured out a few things — how to stay pale 365 days a year, how to make silly things like what is in your garbage can sound posh and cool, and how to make something that is the name of a spice into a dish that screams both «FLAVOURFLAVOURFLAVOURFLAVOUR» and «I CAN FEEL MY ARTERIES CLOGGING». If the topping on the curry fries was available at No Frills, I would have it both in my mouth in all waking hours through a 1980s beer helmet, and mainlining directly into my femoral artery through a LHSC portable IV pump (I got friends in high places ya know)
The fries were crispy and piping hot, and the second beer I was able to get in before it was time to go in order to help get the lyrics to «Let It Go» out of my head for a few hours was just as tasty as the first.
And the best part of it all was when we asked for the bill we didn’t have to wait, and the bartender wrote happy anniversary on our ticket and comped our drinks for us! We will definitely be back here as often as our schedule allows, and it was a wonderful beginning to a fantastic evening. And if it wasn’t such a classy joint, I totally would’ve licked my plate clean too. Ah well.

Wildest charcuterie board i’ve had yet with the pickled quail eggs and duck paté. The outside patio is where it’s at in the summer. Good date night place.

Came into London for a quick visit and I was looking to go somewhere where I could eat something I’ve never had before. The weekly game on the menu was what brought me here. The menu item was sliced elk with mushroom and zucchini risotto and I have to say it was delicious. The sauce was runnier than usual for a risotto but it went well with the freshly baked bread as a dipping sauce. My friend got the beef cheek pot roast and it melted in my mouth! I have to say you wouldn’t expect such high quality food from a «pub» but I was pleasantly surprised. Would definitely come back here!

Pretzel Bread was good
Entrée — Ordered the game: Venison ³⁄₅
Was not what I expected, it was shreds of meat with pasta. It was alright, not delicious.
Dessert — Passion fruit crème brûlée ⁴⁄₅
Citrusy, interesting addition to a standard crème brûlée

Awesome vibes in here, good beer selection and always friendly service! Their brunch is also top notch!
I mostly come in for a few appetizers but if you’re staying for dinner, I would recommend the Beef Cheek!

The atmosphere is nice and our waiter was really nice but the food here felt like a hit or miss. I got the duck and I thought that was pretty good but the burgers that two of the people in my party got was a hot mess. The cheese on the burger really threw them off and all they could say the whole time they were eating it was how everything tasted like poison. I would also like to note that these two particular eaters are extremely picky about the type of cheese that need to be on their burger (Cheddar) to be acceptable.
The drinks were nice but everything is a bit on the pricey side, especially for a place that felt more like a nice quaint pub

This was one of my last meals as a Londoner, and it was pretty darn great. My date and I shared the Ploughman’s Platter to start, which is essentially a large cheese platter. On the platter were to hefty slices of cheddar, some slices of stilton, pâté, sausage slices, pickled onions, onion compote, quail eggs, smoked salmon, roasted garlic, and some crusty baguette. All the components were pretty amazing, except for the pâté, which had a weird flavour and strange grey colour. The platter has everything you need for a cheese-lover’s dream regardless of the lackluster presentation. Put the platter on a wooden board instead of a plain white dish and the platter would become a feast for the eyes too.
My date had the special as an entrée, which was elk/​bison sausage on a cheesy mash with green beans. Very good flavours all around — solid choice.
I tried the burger with the stilton and onion compote, and the patty was super moist and packed with flavour. The stilton was a little overpowering for a burger but it was still delicious.
With drinks, a nice patio, and a cheese platter served alongside their pretzel bread, I’d have to say this was a successful last meal in London.

A quaint and cozy place right across from the Grand theatre. The patio is well covered to avoid the neighbouring noise and sights, making it feel very cozy.
We went on a Sunday just after brunch finished so we had to wait a little bit before the kitchen was ready for its dinner menu — not a big deal, and the host let us know right away so we could decide if we wanted to come inside still.
We did, and ordered drinks until we were able to order food. They have a few good beers on Tao including Hacker-​pschorr which was nice. I ordered a Blueberry Collins — vodka, lime, soda, blueberry. Delish.
Our party opted to split appetizers so we tried the Irish enchilada which was interesting — lamb with a whiskey crème fraiche. Salmon wrapped scallops — cooked perfectly (nothing worse than an overcooked scallop), Smoked mushroom dip with crostinis (the perfect amount of them too), asparagus crusted with panko and parmesan, panko fried devilled eggs.
The food was incredibly tasty and well-​prepared. I will be thinking about the devilled eggs and mushroom dip and crave it.
I wish they came out a bit more staggered though as the five appys filled our table making it difficult to manœuvre. Our mistake for not asking however.
Service was nice and the ambience was pleasant. Will definitely go back to try the entrées.

My father used to go here for coffee during his breaks and to relax with his co-​workers. Went there while looking for a place to eat on the strip and decided to try this nostalgic location.
Wife had the portabelo mushroom and I had the burger on the waitress’ recommendation. Also ordered the sweet potato tempura. Both entrees were large and amazing. The appetizer was spectacular. The prices are a little higher than average but the portions and taste more than makes up for it.

My husband and I decides amidst all the great Unilocal reviews to give this restaurant a try, and I am happy to say we were not disappointed!
We are both «restaurant people» having tackled almost every position in a restaurant, so when we indulge in eating out our expectations may be a bit high. Our daughters tell us we are very picky lol
We were greeted at the door by Bret the server/​assistant manager. Bret was friendly, kind, and very knowledgable about the food, the wines, and the beer. (what a concept)
I have not enjoyed that level of service in many years and mentioned this to my husband. My husband nailed it on the head when he pointed out the difference was that Bret obviously loved what he did, and it truly showed.
We started with the ploughman’s platter. Very generous portions of pâté, cheese, roasted garlic, picked shallots, smoked salmon and much more… we would have liked to lick the plate it was so good! We then shared the warm duck confit salad, which was amazing and the ale and onion soup. definitely not your typical French onion soup by any means. The soup is sweet and delicious with toasted bread topped with cheddar… yum :)
I would definitely return to this restaurant if in the area ! It’s swanky and young. The owners are so lucky to have such happy employees. What a difference that makes.

During my last trip to London, I popped into this spot for a dinner meeting. It’s a smaller place set in and down a few steps from the street level along Richmond street. The ambiance is cozy and warm which definitely matches their menu, a feel good sorta joint.
Before even ordering the server came around and brought out an order of soft warm pretzel bread with a side of grainy mustard to snack on. The combination of flavours was amazing, a great start!
The menu was filled with amazing choices and I seriously didn’t know what to order first, or second, or seventh! So after asking our server for her advice I ended up going with the Buffalo/​Bison meatloaf, which came with creamed spinach and a side of fluffy and light mashed potatoes.
The meatloaf is amazing, you could only detect the slightest flavour of the gaminess from the bison but it was a juicy slice of meat without being fatty. The the meatloaf was seasoned perfectly and was extremely moist. Loved it! Paired with it’s sides, it was a hearty sort of meal that sat heavy in my belly but the good kind of heavy when it’s cold outside!
Overall, a great night (and best of all the price was right), I’m looking forward to my next visit to London so I can come back and try more of their menu out.
Eatcrest Out!

The number one thing I enjoy about The Church Key is the ambiance. It is such a cozy, warm spot with a friendly atmosphere. While it is considered a pub, it isnt kitschy in any way.
They have a lot of different types of beers here as well as a unique selection of cocktails. The menu has a lot of different types of meat on it like buffalo! I had the chicken with mushrooms and tarragon and it was good. I also like the warm pretzel bread that they serve before the meal. As someone who is a bit of a picky eater, I did find the menu to be a bit complex and meat-​heavy. On their website there are veggie options but even from them, I only saw one thing I would really order.
I would suggest this place to anyone who is looking for a quiet spot to have a drink and some apps with friends, either before a show, or just for something different.

Visited the Church Key on a Saturday night to celebrate a birthday. We had made a reservation the same day and they were a little rude on the phone because we were calling the same day to make it. To our surprise, the restaurant was completely empty when we arrived so I’m not sure why there was the need to be snotty about it on the phone.
We were served a warm pretzel bread with whole grain mustard butter while we waited for our meal which was nice. We ordered the sweet potato tempura to start which was good and had a nice sauce. I ordered the trout with puttanesca risotto. I just thought it was okay, nothing spectacular. The risotto was very tomato-​y without much depth in flavour. The trout was nicely cooked with a crisp skin.
The service was good and attentive but the server seemed unnatural, as if he was trying too hard.

Great place to get lunch with a friend.
Its décor is like an upscale pub, which perfectly reflects its food. I had an open faced steak sandwich with grilled onions and peppers smothered in a buttermilk mornay sauce. The meat was tender, the bread got soggy from the sauce while still remaining crunchy on the exterior (just the way it should be!), and the dish overall was very flavourful. I also really enjoyed my side beet and goat cheese salad.
The service was good, but the waiter never refilled my water. It seemed pretty busy for lunchtime on a weekday!