After Strike and Robin have been to New Scotland Yard, Strike suggests a drink and something to eat well away from the area to avoid being overheard by any police.

They choose the St Stephen’s Tavern, “a small, dark Victorian pub which lay directly opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament” (The Ink Black Heart, Chapter 90).

The St Stephen’s Tavern originally opened in 1875 and has been visited by many famous political figures over the years, including Prime Ministers Churchill, Baldwin and Macmillan, and it is still frequented by current members of Parliament.

“Robin found a corner table at the back of the pub and five minutes later Strike set down a pint of Badger and a glass of wine, eased himself with some difficulty around the small, iron-footed table and lowered himself onto the green leather bench beneath the mirrored panels” (The Ink Black Heart, Chapter 90).

Strike asks Robin’s advice on what to order that doesn’t have too many calories, and she suggests the veggie burger, without the chips, which she also orders for herself. The current menu for the pub does include a veggie burger, which is listed as having 850 calories (without the chips). The double cheeseburger with fries comes in at 1,600 calories, so it is a step in the right direction for Strike’s diet.

The tavern is one of several pubs near the Houses of Parliament to have a division bell, which rings to warn MPs they only have a few minutes to get back to the House to vote. In this picture, you can see the bell on the wall under the clock – it looks like an old-fashioned radio.

The St Stephen’s Tavern’s website is here:  www.ststephenstavern.co.uk/

You can find the St Stephen’s Tavern on the map below:

Address: 10 Bridge Street, London SW1A 2JR