London is an incredibly diverse city, with numerous different neighbourhoods and precincts that can often seem worlds apart.
In many ways, south of the Thames River feels noticeably different to the city that lies to the north of the river. But even within the broad precinct described as South London there's huge variation in neighbourhoods, types of housing, cultural mix, and socio-economic demographics.
How does that influence the types of bars and pubs that you'll find in South London? Here's an incomplete guide to some of the places I've been recently:
The Dartmouth Arms, Forest Hill
It was a Sunday afternoon and I was hanging out in Forest Hill with Louise and her daughters Martha and Ruby (part of my extended family).
“Late lunch at The Dartmouth Arms?” suggested Lou. Everyone was up for that.
The Dartmouth Arms is the perfect neighbourhood pub. Nothing beats a good Sunday roast at a pub, and The Dartmouth Arms does it well.
I had roast beef, Lou had roast chicken, Ruby had sausages and chips, and Martha had a selection of entrees.
We spent most of the meal playing a game that was new to me — it was One-Word-Movie-Titles. You take it turns and all you have to do is say a movie title that is just one word — for example, “Flashdance”, “Frozen”, “Psycho”. It sounds easy but it is much harder than you’d think — especially when the pressure is on. I found myself thinking of great answers while waiting for my turn but then when it was time to say them my mind had gone completely blank.
Good game, good lunch, good family time. The perfect way to spend a Sunday.
Founders Arms – Southbank
I’d arranged to meet Andrew for a drink and a catch up at The Founders Arms on London’s South Bank, just near the Tate Modern. Andrew had suggested the Founders Arms to make the most of what had been a beautiful summer’s day in London. It was a busy place, with a relaxed boozy crowd stringing out the summer day as long as possible. Although not a beautiful building itself (it resembles a large public toilet block if we’re being honest), the Founders Arms does enjoy unrivalled views across the Thames and out to St Paul’s. We drank jugs of Pimms and watched the sun set behind Blackfriars Bridge. Good times.
The Windmill Tavern — The Cut
A busy and lively place — a big space with nice high ceilings and an airy sense of openness. The crowd was all young groups of friends, meeting for drinks after work in the City.
The Horniman — London Bridge
Looking out over the Thames, opposite London Bridge station, The Horniman has a great location and it's a huge space. It's always busy and chaotic. There's a lot better places to get a drink in this precinct, although the name makes me snigger every time.
The Florence — Herne Hill
It was a weekend in London and I caught the train from Farringdon to Herne Hill for Sunday lunch with Tristan and Trish at a pub called The Florence.Herne Hill surprisingly easy to get to on a train. I’ve driven through it before but it’s the first time I’ve spent any time here — it’s surprisingly nice! Good mix of cafes and shops in a neighbourhood-style precinct surrounding the station, and Brockwell Park begins just across the road. The Florence is a bright, open pub — busy on a Sunday afternoon, awash with families, dogs and gays. Sunday roasts are a bit of a speciality and there was the choice of chicken, pork or beef. I chose the beef but they all looked much of a muchness — big servings, not amazing but not the worst meal you’ve ever had. We had a great table that caught the sun for the entire afternoon. It was a relaxed atmosphere and we took our time chatting and catching up over a glass of wine. There’s better Sunday roast/gastro-pub options out there, but if you’re in Herne Hill and looking for somewhere to meet friends then it’s a pretty safe bet.
The Other Room Beer Bar — Tower Bridge Road
We were looking for somewhere local to go for some informal office drinks after work on a Wednesday. After a bit of debate, we opted for the recently opened The Other Room Beer Bar — it’s been in business for nearly three months. This was a great choice. Part of the same family as the Bermondsey Arts Club, The Other Room Beer Bar is a simple, small bar that specialises in local craft beer and a couple of specialities from around the world. We tried quite a few and loved them all — the German Pilsner was the stand-out for me. They’ll soon be serving food also, so this place definitely has the potential to be our new favourite after-work bar.
Photos by Gareth Johnson