London’s Best Beer, Pubs and Bars updates
Southwest London: Brixton and Stockwell
Canton Arms, London SW8
Gastropub (Enterprise)
177 South Lambeth Road SW8 1XP
T 020 7582 8710 w http://cantonarms.com
Open 1100 (1700 Mon)-2300 (2230 Sun). Children welcome until 2100.
Cask beer 4 (Skinners, Timothy Taylor, 2 guests), Other beer 3 bottles, Also 30+ wines, a few eaux de vie and whiskies.
Food Gastro, Outdoor Front terrace, Wifi.
Occasional big screen sport.
This biggish former Truman pub is on a main road site on the edge of Stockwell and Kennington. Since reopening in 2010 it has rapidly gained a strong reputation for the fine and inventive but decidedly unfussy food served up by Trish Hilferty, the original chef at the Eagle in Farringdon and therefore one of the key architects of the gastropub phenomenon (from which you might conclude that she has a lot to make up for). The pub doesn’t take bookings so you’ll have to choose your moment if you want to enjoy dishes like grilled polenta with Swiss chard, roast wood pigeon or tempting desserts from a menu that changes daily. Failing that you can enjoy a foie gras toastie at the bar, or one containing Quick’s cheddar…with baked beans if you must.
Pleasingly, though, it remains a proper informal pubby space with big windows and some original floor tiling, attracting a lively local crowd. It’s a rare pub that picks the light mild Golden Best as its regular from the Timothy Taylor range, but here it is on the octagonal island bar, alongside Betty Stoggs and guests ordered through the SIBA direct delivery scheme from the likes of Ascot, Black Sheep, Loddon, Moorhouses, Red Squirrel, Theakston or Twickenham. Budvar perks up the fridge.
National Rail Vauxhall Underground Stockwell, Vauxhall Bus Thorne Road (2 88 Vauxhall, Stockwell) Cycling LCN+ 3, link to CS7
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