Part of our Best Pubs in London microsite. See if we've included your local.
What a glorious place this is. Festooned in hanging baskets, you can sense the Pelton's charm and charisma from some distance away. This is handy, because the nearby Thames Path — from which the pub is just about visible — carries much more passing trade than Pelton Road itself.
Walk in, and you find yourself in the best kind of locals' pub, a place where everyone seems to know one another all are also very welcoming to new faces. The mildly eccentric decor is perfectly calibrated to add to the warmth (despite the presence of a dead animal's head on one of the walls).
The pub serves a moderate selection of real ales, including a couple of weaker 2% beers on our visit. Wish more pubs would do this. The food comes courtesy of Wandercrust, who provide what must be one of the largest pizza menus in any London pub (these include vegan options with 'bluffalo notzarella', which is the cheesiest double-pun I've ever heard).
Speaking of comedy, a plaque on the outside of the building notes the Pelton's place in sitcom legend. The pub was dressed up as The Nag's Head for the Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock and Chips. (No, me neither.)
The place was decently packed on a rainy Saturday afternoon, with people of all ages, including toddlers, soaking up the unique Pelton atmosphere. The place truly comes alive on weekend evenings when the small stage area is put to use with live music.
All in all, one of the most joyful locals in London.
Photos below are from a previous visit in 2014. We leave them in for posterity.
