‘The best football pub in London? I think so’

That’s what The Volley, in Old Street, has to offer since launching its collaboration with Baggio Burger and Twisted.

It labels itself as “London’s best football and beer pub” and after my recent trip there, it’s hard to disagree.

I visited The Volley last month to watch my beloved Chelsea FC take on Leicester City in the Premier League’s lunchtime kick off.

From the service, to the food, to the drink, to the result of the match, I have only good things to say about my time at The Volley.

My friend and I were welcomed by friendly staff who showed us to our spacious booth, equipped with a private television to watch the game on.

There is absolutely no shortage of screens at The Volley, ensuring you can see the game from any seat in the house but the private booth screens are a fantastic touch.

What truly sets The Volley apart from other football pubs in London is the food.

In its recent collaboration with Twisted and Baggio Burger, the Italian menu is the ideal accompaniment to watching footy.

I ordered Nonna’s Meatballs, which didn’t disappoint. 

Four sizeable chicken meatballs sat on top of a rich tomato sauce.

The flavours synced faultlessly and the option of some toasted focaccia to help mop up the leftover sauce was a no-brainer.

Pollo Milanese and Nonna’s Meatballs with oregano fries (Image: Gianni Cirillo) My friend’s Pollo Milanese was also top-notch. He enjoyed the quality of breading on the chicken as well as the fresh salad and whipped ricotta which accompanied.

We shared a portion of oregano fries, which was both delicious and plentiful for two.

We enjoyed our meals with a pint of Guinness and apple cider respectively – both perfectly poured and went down a treat with our lunch.

The one disappointment was the lack of dessert as my friend and I were eager to try the Hackney Gelato Brioche to end on a sweet note.

Unfortunately the pub was not serving dessert on that day.

The Volley has collaborated with Twisted and Baggio Burger for its new food menu (Image: Gianni Cirillo) The Volley is decorated fantastically. It embraces a rustic pub vibe with wooden and stone walls whilst splashes of colour appear through the vast range of global football club merchandise hung from the walls and ceiling.

Despite being sat in the centre of London, you could easily believe you have been transported to one of Italy’s football loving cities. 

The quality Italian food matches with the heavy Serie A influence in the decoration of the interior.

Scarves from clubs all around the world are used to decorate the interior of the pub (Image: Gianni Cirillo) Scarves from Milan, Turin, Rome, Florence and Napoli just to name a few make for a fantastic environment to watch Serie A matches for calcio-loving Londoners like myself.

Overall, I would recommend The Volley to anyone who fancies a new environment to watch football in. The quality of food, drink and seating is faultless and far exceeds the expectations of a sports pub.

My visit was fantastic and topped off with a Chelsea victory – the perfect start to my weekend.