Sippin’ in South Lambeth: A Guide
You could call it South Lambeth, Nine Elms, even Stockwell – this area suffers from being in between better known neighbourhoods such as Brixton, Clapham and Battersea and therefore has done that thing that in-betweener areas do – play host to a couple of breweries. There are two of London’s best, plus a craft beer institution of a pub, that make for a great little wander on one of London’s less trodden paths. This one is for the people who just want to have a relaxing evening drinking great beer – nothing crazy, everything tasty.
Mondo Brewing Company
You’ll have seen this lot around if you go to pubs that do any sort of craft beer and you’re about to be surprised by the low key, chillness of the taproom. The beer speaks for itself.
Good For: Good beer, popcorn.
Things to note: It is quite a small, entirely indoor space and while they don’t do food themselves, you can order in to the taproom which is always a win.
Beer: They have something for all tastes and usually at least ten taps rolling so be prepared to taste the night away (while also remembering you have two other stops to make!). They excel with their collabs too, so try a bunch and enjoy.
Vibez: Very laid back although live music nights are of course all about the music – given the size, you don’t have a choice but to listen. This is usually very welcome – we love live music – so if you are heading for a deep meaningful catch up with your long lost cousin who you haven’t seen in 15 years then at least the music will break up the awkwardness. Check ahead for listings!
Prices: Very competitive prices for their own stuff – this is some of the most reasonably priced, excellent craft beer in London.
Warmth: Warm, easy-going staff who dish out free popcorn and are on hand to explain each and every beer.
Distortion Brewing Company
Just down a side road opposite Wandsworth Road Overground station is – you guessed it – a railway arch with a brewery in it. Distortion does things a little differently, however, and we love it.
Good For: Fresh, fresh beer; Chatting to the owner and brewer.
Things to note: Good amount of seating and often busier by day than by night on the weekends; Doesn’t do food but you can bring in.
Beer: Start with the highlight: this is one of only two tank-bars in London (along with Howling Hops) where the beer is served directly from the tanks. This means what you are getting is extra smooth, fresh and flavourful and sampling the 5-6 beers on offer is very easy. We recommend tasting a little of them all then going for a flight of the 3 you like best.
Vibez: Laid back, family friendly feeling with plenty of room in the arch for dogs, prams and dogs in prams. At night its dark with some funky lighting, making it a suitable spot for any time of day, though as mentioned, in our experience, it is far busier during the day on a Saturday than at night.
Prices: I would go so far to say this is one of the most reasonably priced breweries in the whole of London. Given how small batch it is and the quality of the beer, it feels great to try so much beer and still get change from a £20 note (yes I know we don’t use notes any more and I’m pretty sure they are card only, but if you did).
Warmth: The owner and brewer, Andy, is always on hand to proudly show off his beers so have a chat, find out what you’re drinking and why.
We interrupt our regularly scheduled service to highlight an exceptional Caribbean restaurant round the corner from Distortion: Sugarcane. Given neither of the breweries do food, and food is required to drink more beer, we could not recommend this highly enough.
The Priory Arms
Final stop (or first stop if doing this the other way round) is a pub that is all tradition but full of great, modern beer. Beer mats all over the ceiling, fabric upholstery and and mixture of cask and keg make for a cosy blast from the past.
Good For: Lots of beers; Feeling cosy.
Things to note: The capacity is not huge so booking ahead on a weekend night is advised as it gets pretty busy, although with a lot of turnover as most people are in there for a quick pint or two max. Family friendly and often serves food, but not always, so call ahead to check.
Beer: 15 taps and counting with a great local selection (you will find Mondo beers here for sure) and especially prioritising Affinity Brew Co, who brew in the basement of sister pub The Grosvenor Arms over towards Brixton. The one critique was that there was only one dark beer and one lager on offer across all taps, with priority given to pale ales, IPAs and a couple of sours thrown in for good measure.
Vibez: Old fashioned feel and the fact the floors aren’t carpeted is a mild surprise. Low key, good for quiet conversation with friends or a group dinner with…also friends.
Prices: About average for London pub prices with everything around £6 for a pint.
Warmth: It’s a pub, and often a very busy one, so while the vibe is certainly warm and cosy, it’s not somewhere to linger too long at the bar.
And that’s about that! If you do the crawl and are in the mood for more, various venues on our Brixton guide are only about a 20 minute walk away, so check that out too!
Share and Enjoy!
Know another great independent brewery or dedicated craft beer location in the area? Let me know and I’ll go there – if it fits the bill I’ll add it here!