Part of our Best Pubs in London microsite. Is your local listed?
This area was once famed for its pub — indeed, Elephant and Castle is named after a pub, which existed here for centuries. Its last incarnation was a workaday locals' boozer with a Thai kitchen and DJ nights. Then, the site was taken on by the Antic chain, bringing fresh life to the area's drinking scene. It very nearly became an estate agents.
Now in the hands of the Urban Pubs and Bars chain, the interior's been smartened up a bit. Gone are the tatterdemalion chairs and other Antic relics, in favour of a cleaner, illuminated look.
Outside, the small beer garden offers close-up views of Erno Goldfinger's Metro Central Heights, and blasts of air from the traffic of the roaring gyratory. We've drank in more pleasant outdoor spots... but it's good to find one at all in zone 1.
The beer choice is mostly keg, with a decent if not memorable range. What is unusual, if you pop along on a Wednesday, is the 'Beer Exchange', in which the prices of the various tipples go up and down based on demand, like a share index. Fun stuff... although most punters at the bar probably don't notice the dynamic pricing.
If the upstairs is busy, a similarly sized basement bar is often open. At the weekend, this place stays open until 2am, which is perhaps surprising given that it's right next to the residential Metro Central Heights.
Images below are from over five years ago and may not represent the current look of the place. We leave them in for posterity.
