Crown SE1

London’s Best Beer, Pubs and Bars updates
Central London: Southbank

Crown, Blackfriars Road, London SE1

Contemporary pub (Independent)
108 Blackfriars Road SE1 8HW
T 020 7261 9524 w www.thecrownpubandgrill.com
Open 1200-2300 (2400 Fri, Closed Sat-Sun). Children welcome until early evening.
Cask beer 3 (often unusual guests), Other beer 4 keg, 10 bottles (mainly US and New Zealand), Also 28 wines, specialist whiskies.
Food Pub grub and Tex Mex, Outdoor Front terrace, rear sheltered courtyard, Wifi.
Occasional quiz, occasional big screen sport.

This smallish pub run by friendly New Zealanders is just that little bit too far from the newly lively area of the Cut around Southwark station, but as its loyal customers – largely local workers – will attest, it’s well worth the extra step. Inside is smart and stylish but relaxed, with a single downstairs bar, an overspill area and function room upstairs, and a garden at the back with a big marquee. The big screen TV sound is only turned up for major sporting events, and you’ll find an attractive snug tucked round the back.

Besides a regularly changing trio of cask beers – Brewsters, Crouch Vale, Dark Star, Redemption, Triple fff and Windsor & Eton are among the favoured suppliers – there’s keg Brooklyn Lager and Budvar Dark, and a small but well chosen selection of imported bottles: Anchor, Odell, Victory and Sierra Nevada, for example, with deals on buckets of four bottles. The transatlantic theme also permeates the food menu, where quesadillas, Santa Fé chilli and jambalaya line up alongside fish and chips and sausage and mash. Note the weekend closure.

National Rail Waterloo Underground Southwark River Bankside Cycling NCN 4, LCN+ 3 7 Walking Link to Jubilee Greenway, Jubilee Walkway, Thames Path