Clapham pubs

In a quiet residential street not far from Clapham Common sits Bobbin, an appealing neighbourhood gastropub. It has a changing rota of proper ales and an airy conservatory at the rear.

The Coach and Horses is in Frontier’s stable, these days, serving their lager as well as a whole host of locally brewed craft beers. The policy is ‘hops and dough’ so pair those pints with pizzas hot from the oven. Any of the pizza toppings can be ordered as a calzone. 

This proper neighbourhood pub is part of the Craft Beer Co chain, and as such, it is dedicated to serving a brilliant range of beers from small producers. Work your way through hand-crafted cask ales, guest kegs, and of course an array of exotic bottles. 

This Northcote Road branch is one of 12 Draft Houses in London now – a sign of their popularity. Food is influenced by the US with burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork buns and Americanised salads. It's the beer, though, that pulls in most punters - and the fact that they are available by the one-third pint does wonders for a little exploration. 

This beautifully refurbed Victorian palace has a strong offering at the bar – including the pub’s own-distilled gin. But it’s the entertaiment that counts, with comedy nights and a whole room dedicated to arcade games, plus an escape room for those fully committed to a big night out down the local. 

Autumn 2014 saw the former King's Head change ownership, with a new look and more focus on craft beers and a 'street food kitchen'. Now, King & Co is perhaps best known for its restaurant residencies and pop-ups, with chefs taking over the kitchen to amp up the pub grub offering – the most recent was Malt & Pepper, who use beer in all their recipes. Well, it is a pub.

This pub at the tawdrier end of Clapham High Street sports petrol hues, parquet flooring, trendy lighting and plenty of high tables and stools. The menu includes sharing plates and pimped-up, loaded fries. To drink, there are award-winning cask beers and ales on tap, and there’s a menu of gin and tonics to work your way through.

The Stonhouse, a chic and vibrant gastro pub in London’s Clapham Common, attracts a mix of suited city brokers, media darlings and local Claphamites. It’s an ideal escape from the Clapham High Street party goers, and is well regarded for its pub grub – Cornish crab cakes, seared scallops and spinach and ricotta ravioli is a cut above the rest.

This big Young's pub has a prime site on Clapham Common (though with no views of the common; it faces the busy A road). A burger shack sits in the front garden, which seems to suit the al fresco dining crowd once they’ve had their fill of lounging on the Common. There are also rooms above the pub, run as a small hotel.