The Hero of Maida is a traditional Victorian pub with a courtyard garden and a dining room on the first floor. We serve independent beers from family-run breweries, good wines, and an all-day menu overseen by chef-restaurateur Henry Harris. Tucked away on the top floor are elegant spaces for private dining and events – these will open later in the summer.
We’re a short walking distance from Warwick Avenue and Maida Vale tube stations.
Behind the zinc-topped bar, we serve chilled keg beers Stiegl, Portobello London Pilsner and guests such as 40ft Larger, Curious IPA and Tiny Rebel. Timothy Taylor’s Landlord is our house ale of choice with guest ales from Black Sheep, Thornbridge, Kirkstall and Dark Star. Henry and the team have compiled a list of wines they enjoy drinking, balancing familiar Old World names with some up-and-coming vineyards. We also offer grower Champagnes from independent vineyards and a selection of cocktails and apéritifs.
Leather banquette seating, antique mirrors, and artworks of our eponymous hero, Sir John Stuart, have been expertly put together by interior designer, Liana Braune. In the warmer months, we open our courtyard garden and peel back the terrace doors.
If you get peckish, you'll find Welsh rarebit, sausage rolls, salads, charcuterie, cheeses and other good things on our blackboard; or join us on Sundays for a traditional roast.
Opening Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 11.00am to 11.30pm
(Kitchen open noon to 3pm and 6pm to 10.30pm)
Sunday: noon to 10.30pm
(Kitchen open noon to 5pm)
In our handsome first floor dining room, we offer an à la carte menu with classic British and French influences created by Chef-Director Henry Harris and Head Chef Steve Collins.
Reflecting our careful sourcing of seasonal ingredients, daily-changing dishes might include grilled rabbit, mustard sauce and smoked bacon; rib eye steak, chips and bone marrow butter; or pan roast chicken, braised lettuce, morels and peas. On Sundays, we offer a traditional roast, including beef, chicken, and a seven-hour, slow-roasted shoulder of lamb. A drinks list focuses on Old World wines, from Beaujolais to Rioja and Chianti, as well as classic cocktails and apéritifs.
With tall windows, a beautifully ornate ceiling, and a collection of artworks, the dining room offers good food in comfortable surroundings. You can enjoy a preprandial at the marble-topped bar – or even dine there if the fancy takes you.
For reservations call 020 3960 9109, email bookings@theheromaidavale.co.uk, or use the booking form below.
We have a choice of charming spaces available, whether you’re organising a family celebration, a corporate function or a hero’s return. Opening later this summer, we have two beautifully appointed private dining rooms – one small, one medium-sized - on the second floor. For larger functions, including wedding receptions, the first floor dining room is a perfect setting. In the warmer months, our garden is also available for dining and drinks.
Choose from our sample menus, or we can design something exactly to your liking — it could be a Champagne and canapé reception, a wine tasting, or any other idea you care to discuss with us. For a private viewing or to discuss dates, please contact us on 020 3960 9109 or info@theheromaidavale.co.uk.
European history buffs will know the Hero of Maida was one Sir John Stuart. In 1806 this rakish lieutenant-general crushed Napoleon’s seemingly invincible forces at the Battle of Maida in southern Italy. Four years later, an inn named in his honour opened on Edgware Road near the brand new Regent’s Canal. Within a short space of time, this leafy corner of London came to be known as Maida Vale after the local landmark.
Our current building was opened in 1878 as the Shirland Hotel by widow Ann Wharton and her children Elizabeth, Edith and Thomas. A popular hostelry in Maida Vale, it was subsequently converted into a pub and quickly became a cornerstone of the local community. In 2016, a rent hike forced the landlords to close the pub’s doors despite fierce community opposition. We stepped in and with the swiftness of Sir John Stuart's battlefield manoeuvres secured it for future generations.