For many years a community boozer, the Dartmouth Arms underwent a refurbishment which stripped away years of aesthetic apathy and created a gastropub on a street formerly famous for its takeaways. The front bar is now a well-aired, sepia-tinted space perfect for chilling out over papers or free Wi-Fi, plus there's an adjoining 'snug bar' (the red walls of which boast exhibitions by local artists) and a rear dining room for lingering over affordable gastro fodder. Cocktails are just £5.50 (champagne cocktails £6.25) and there's an extensive wine list, but beers are limited: Brakspear and Bombardier for ale heads; Staropramen and Kronenbourg for lager lovers.
Forest Hill has an exceptionally high proportion of pubs for a fairly
small centre meaning that The Dartmouth Arms just doesn't live up to
it's neighbours The Sylvan Post or even new kid on the block The Perry Vale. Don't get me wrong, the front room is cosy and the beer garden is maybe the best in the area, but the food is overpriced and for some reason the staff have a no-smile policy. Worth trying out though if you're in the area - perhaps just stick to drinks over food.
The Dartmouth Arms is a restaurant with a tiny pub at the front. The food is mediocre and slightly overpriced. The beer and cider selection is very limited. The snug at the front is nice to go for a coffee or a beer or two but holds no atmosphere at the weekend. The soul is missing from this place. The Sylvan Post is a much nicer spot.
