At The Table: Dean’s

Driven by curiosity on a sweltering afternoon in the West Village, we set out to explore Dean’s, a recent arrival captured by the media as New York’s newest “pub”—a venue completely devoted to English cuisine, beer, and wine.

Outside of England, British culinary traditions frequently suffer from an unfavorable reputation. Though that stereotype might have held some truth a few decades ago, anyone who has recently dined in London knows it is easily disproved.

Consequently, a significant portion of the extensive press surrounding Dean’s has fixated on identity and form, endlessly debating what truly constitutes a pub and whether such an institution can successfully exist in New York.

“The pub is a very special kind of institution for every neighborhood and town. It made sense to create our own on the block that we’ve called home for the past ten years.”

So is Dean’s a pub? As our friend Jason Lee wrote in a review for Interview, it doesn’t really matter. In a city where you can eat and drink your way around the world on just a couple of city blocks of Manhattan, Jason suggested, there’s still a hint of exoticism to British cuisine in America. Especially if it’s being done well.

Setting aside the complicated debate over the true nature of British cuisine in 2026 — highlighted by a recent New York Times feature on London's "25 Essential Dishes" that spanned from Thai specialties to chocolate cake — Dean's embraces a more traditional perspective on our Island's culinary heritage. It honors the classic dining rooms of the past while taking cues from the modern wave of gastropubs that have emerged nationwide, celebrated for their sophisticated reinterpretation of British cooking.

So best to think of Dean’s as simply its own thing, and the better for it. It doesn’t trade in stereotypes or chintzy caricatures. It’s somewhere you can come for a drink, some food, to hang out, play darts. “I was surprised by some of the stereotypes that so many Americans seem to still have of English food as bad and bland, and pubs either having to be dive bars or sports bars,” Annie says, when pressed about the coverage that heralded Dean’s opening.

Dean’s is run by Annie Shi and Jess Shadbolt. Roughly, Annie handles the drink, Jess the food. It joins their other spaces, King’s which is next door, and Lei, in Chinatown. All three share a similar sense of conviviality, and also a considered, holistic, approach to building a space; the spatial design is as important as the menu, the wine list as integral as the playlist.

“I joke that we have the largest English wine list in the country. But I actually think it is true. People have been loving English wine. It’s our highest selling category without question.”

Beyond that though, each is doing radically different things. King’s is a classic European dining experience, refracted through New York hospitality. Lei is Annie’s tribute, in some ways, to her Chinese roots, but also a great natural wine bar and small plates spot. Dean’s then, maybe, is Jess’s memory of her home in Suffolk, refracted again through the time and distance of New York. “I love restaurants that transport you somewhere,” Jess says, “So perhaps I was yearning for a British sensibility in NYC!”

“We believe in following our instincts and allowing projects to take shape naturally,” Annie says, when asked what guides these different dining experiences. “With Dean’s, the pub is a very special kind of institution for every neighborhood and town. It made sense to create our own on the block that we’ve called home for the past ten years.”

Jess and Annie pour us a few pints of Guinness and we settle in the corner to chat, while they bring out plates of food that could cure even the most homesick Englishman in New York. First comes some incredibly delicious scotch eggs — quail, rather than hen, and served with a bright yellow dollop of Colman’s — then a plate of some of the most delightful roast beef I’ve ever had. It comes rare, beautifully pink, cold, with a little wedge of cheese and a deliciously savoury pickled walnut. The star of the menu though is the aptly named Stargazy Pie: a fish pie, traditionally from Cornwall, with the head and tail of the fish poking out through a layer of crispy crust, the insides overflowing with various juicy chunks of fish.

Beyond this, you’ll find other British classics at Dean’s, Guinness bread, fish and chips, a Barnsley chop, boiled ham. As well as, beyond the Guinness, a wine list featuring many of Britain’s finest producers. “I joke that we have the largest English wine list in the country,” Annie says, “But I actually think it is true. People have been loving English wine. It’s our highest selling category without question. I think people are pleasantly surprised at how delicious it is. The winemaking has gotten significantly better in the past ten years and global warming has been advantageous to the region, too.”

“Longevity is important to us. We think a lot about how a place can evolve and continue to capture the hearts and imagination of our guests so that’s always at the forefront of our decision making.”

What ultimately separates Dean's from the pubs and dining rooms it draws inspiration from is simply time. You can't manufacture centuries of history or the accumulated rituals of a neighbourhood institution overnight. Pubs become pubs by enduring. Something they’re understanding of.

“We were very aware that we were doing a new build with Dean’s,” Annie says. “We didn’t shy away from that, but we did deliberately choose materials that will hopefully weather gracefully with age. I’m looking forward to seeing the patina develop on our wooden tables and leather stools, the clay tiles getting a little more scuffed on the floor.”

“Longevity is important to us,” Jess adds. “We think a lot about how a place can evolve and continue to capture the hearts and imagination of our guests so that’s always at the forefront of our decision making. We value a timeless, classic approach and hope that will allow Dean’s to earn a place in the city for many years to come.”