Val Penny's Hotel and Restaurant Reviews The Traveller's Guide to Hotels and Restaurants around the World

On a recent visit to London, England during the Rugby World Cup, my husband and I met relatives for dinner at The Southwark Tavern. We had a lot of catching up to do, so perhaps we should have thought this through and gone somewhere that was not showing matches. It was very busy and extremely noisy. The Southwark Tavern is a traditional pub with an oak-floored bar and exposed-brick basement dining room with vaulted alcoves. It is situated on Southwark Street near the Borough Market in London and is very easy to find.

We were impressed with the menu which played on the rugby by alluding to the game in the names given to the dishes offered. Every taste was catered for at The Southwark Tavern and there was a wide variety of beers that the guys in our group enjoyed sampling.  Our table was downstairs, right under the stairs! Not the best table, but we could not be fussy: it was a Saturday night in the middle of the Rugby World Cup. The city was exceptionally busy. The Southwark Tavern has a multitude of nooks and crannies to discover, it’s easy to get lost in the inimitable charm of this 150-year-old pub. We really enjoyed he atmosphere.

We whiled away the evening over good meals from the seasonal pub food menu in our cosy candle-lit corner downstairs. The only thing that caused us grief was that we had to order each of our meals and drinks from the bar and then we had to bring the drinks, even water for the table, downstairs ourselves. The stairs are steep and curved, so this was not easy. I would not recommend The Southwark Tavern to those who are disabled or have mobility issues.

However, this is a true South London institution and I will certainly use The Southwark Tavern again.