Michelin-listed Publican Acquires Brook Green Pub

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The Bird in Hand to be run by Max de Nahlik

Picture: Bird in the Hand

April 9, 2026

Max de Nahlik, chef-owner of the Michelin Guide-listed pub and dining room The Holland, has acquired his second site with the purchase of The Bird in Hand, a backstreet Brook Green pub.

The pub, located at the junction of Masbro Road and Milson Road, is currently undergoing a full interior renovation and is expected to relaunch later this month, though it will continue trading during the refurbishment. The redesign is being led by Tortie Hoare, the designer behind The Holland, and will include refreshed interiors, outdoor seating, and a revamped first-floor private dining room for up to 20 guests.

De Nahlik said he intends to treat the pub as a “sister” to The Holland, while preserving its own identity. “There’s a real kinship between the two pubs — they’re both at the heart of their respective neighbourhoods, but each has a distinct personality and appreciably different food and drink,” he said. “I’m absolutely delighted to be the new custodian of The Bird in Hand.”

The Bird in Hand has been a fixture of Brook Green for generations. The building’s façade still carries the inscription “Rebuilt in 1926”, marking its reconstruction during the interwar period 100 years ago. Earlier iterations of the pub date back to the late 19th century, serving the growing residential streets around Hammersmith’s then-expanding railway lines and artisan housing.

Over the decades, The Bird in Hand has shifted through various incarnations: a traditional corner pub, a neighbourhood dining spot, and more recently a venue known for its Italian-leaning menu and pizzas.

De Nahlik said the aim is to honour that legacy. “Our locals will still recognise the pub they’ve loved for the past century, while noticing that the food, drink and interior have had an upgrade,” he said.

The kitchen will continue to draw on The Bird in Hand’s existing Italian-Mediterranean style, but with an expanded and more refined offering. Dishes will include smoked cod’s roe with toasted focaccia, beef carpaccio with crispy kale and walnuts, whole fish of the day, and a pork chop for two. Pizzas will remain central to the menu, with toppings such as Ventracina salami, fresh chillies, ’nduja and smoked scamorza.

A new monthly feature will see a guest chef or restaurant create a special pizza, beginning with a collaboration from The Holland’s kitchen.

Sunday roasts will take on a Mediterranean influence, contrasting with the more traditional British roast served at The Holland. De Nahlik plans to use British produce from sustainable and regenerative suppliers, including Wildfarmed flour and cheeses from La Latteria.

The drinks list will lean into aperitivo-style cocktails, with a particular focus on Negronis. The pub has long kept a “Negroni Bible” — a collection of handwritten and sketched recipes contributed by bartenders and guests over the years — which will continue to shape the cocktail offering.

De Nahlik is being supported on the project by his mentor and friend James McLean, known for The Oarsman in Marlow.

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