The Dispensary, Aldgate  

The Dispensary is a grand Victorian (1858) building brought bang up-to-date with a sympathetic renovation and fashionable decoration. It's a fine setting for a fine-looking menu and an impressive beer, wine and cocktail list. However, unfortunately, the whole is not the sum of its parts and we think the problem can be summed up in one word: location. From a City point of view, the Dispensary is situated on the wrong side of that civic planning disaster known as Aldgate Bars. As anyone who has ever attempted to traverse the site knows, trying to find your way through the labyrinth of subways and crossings can be so mind-bogglingly convoluted that only the most determined (or the most experienced) ever get through. The net result is that premises around here are rarely ever enjoyed by casual visitors - this area is not one you'd wander through on a warm summer's day. Outside of the traditional lunchtime trade, where expense account cabs deposit and collect hungry and thirsty punters, the place can be uncomfortably quiet. So, despite the menu and the lavish surroundings, the overall experience is less than relaxing. And this is further exacerbated by the general air of grubbiness - sticky tables, uncollected glasses, sloppy toilets, that you feel are the result a busy lunchtime and an enervating afternoon. It's a pity because a lot of effort has gone into creating a top-notch establishment. Plonk the Dispensary down in the City or Chelsea and we're pretty sure it would be a runaway success, but here it languishes in (pretty much inaccessible) isolation. Shame.

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