Weybridge, British, Traditional Restaurant Guide

A “buzzy, colourful atmosphere” reigns supreme at this Surrey offshoot of The Ivy’s flashy brasserie chain, with a beautiful orangerie the best of the seating options. As for the food, “it is perfectly acceptable” but “this place lives off the name for sure” and is “very expensive for what it is” (not that this necessarily deters repeat visitors, who “return for its lovely ambience”).

2023 Review: A couple of excellent reports suggest it’s worth considering this old pub reinvented as a hotel and restaurant (a couple of years ago), between the maze of Hampton Court Palace and Bushy Park. The refit is very attractive and the menu of superior gastropub fare is well-rated.

2022 Review: “Beautifully refurbished” by the current owners (Young’s Brewery), even if not everyone is a fan of its chain-ification, this “great local” – replete with roaring fires, seasonal grub and pleasant garden – is of note for its daily chalkboard specials, but they also do fancy game nights.

2021 Review: This smart village pub with a garden incorporates a very French dining room, ‘La Cloche’, which serves bistro classics with a nod to the hearty dishes of the southwest, along with a good selection of wine and beer.

“Wonderful décor, a nice mix of cocktails and a lively buzz make this a very good local” that works equally “for a romantic meal or for celebrating a special event”. The new branch in Chiswick generates most of the feedback this year, but Lorraine Angliss (also owner of Annie’s and Little Bird) has run the Richmond original for 15 years.

This attractive eighteenth-century inn is a short stroll from Sheen Gate and a good option following a walk in Richmond Park (especially in summer on the terrace). On the downside, “the cooking can be a bit hit and miss” – it’s “under new management” since Fuller’s fell out with the previous landlord a couple of years back, “so perhaps hasn’t found its stride yet”.

“You feel miles away from London” at this Georgian gastroboozer on the edge of Wimbledon Common, which provides “a great atmosphere in very cosy surroundings”. “There’s a more relaxed vibe than when it originally emerged from its old ‘boozer’ days. The staff are lovely, attentive, fun but not over the top, and the food is perfect”.

A “top pub garden” is the trump card of this handsome, green-tiled tavern on the Chiswick-Acton border, and it’s backed up by “super-attentive service, great food” and “a lively buzz”. It’s been “consistently good” in its current guise for more than 20 years.

“Now under new management”, this “small and friendly” pub – in the picturesque Hammersmith backstreets known as ‘Brackenbury Village’ – has gone from good to better. It has always been a “solid, welcoming local, with good food and well-kept beer” and its new incarnation is just that bit ‘next-level’: with its “well judged and executed seasonal menus and quality wines by the glass” it’s “buzzing”.

Another year of stellar ratings confirms that Remi Williams and Aaron Webster’s former pop-up in Tooting is no flash in the pan, offering “fine food in a bustling, vibrant atmosphere” and “set menus of delicious sharing plates” for which they make clever use of European salting, curing and smoking techniques. They made a name for themselves at Pop Brixton before moving to this permanent site in 2020.

“Great food and drink, especially pizza” makes it worth remembering this stylish (if sometimes noisy) Olympia pub-conversion, a few minutes’ walk from Brook Green (part of the Oak group).

There’s no doubting that Heston Blumenthal’s fifteenth-century tavern, a short walk from his Fat Duck flagship, is a “good gastropub”, and the majority of reporters are thrilled by its upscale pub food. But the celeb chef’s exalted reputation (reflected in the prices) means that expectations are sky-high – and though a majority of diners are well satisfied, visits “can be disappointing” (“our battered fish was hard and dry on the inside. Not acceptable at these prices!)”

“When all that wealth and beauty on the King’s Road become too much”, this “tastefully restored” old pub (built in 1838) is something of an antidote. It wins praise all round for its “attentive” service and “traditional British fare” that’s “on the button and carefully presented”. If there’s any reservation, it’s that it doesn’t dazzle quite as much as its restaurant royalty backing might lead you to hope (the owners of JKS Restaurants, with food overseen by Kitchen Table’s James Knappett). Top Menu Tip – “prawn cocktail and skinny chips with a side order of hot sauce”.

“Still a first choice for a fun, good-value Thai meal” – the “freshly cooked” scoff in the “bonkers” flower-filled dining conservatory of this quirky 1750 tavern, near Notting Hill Gate, still makes it a top destination for the budget conscious. Popularity comes at a price, though – “booking is essential after 6pm”. Top Tip – the pub itself is worth a visit too – it was renamed in the statesman’s honour, and his grandparents visited in the Victorian era.

“A gem of a place hidden away” in a quiet corner of SW3 close to Chelsea’s ‘Physic Garden’, this “traditional” 1853 pub – a classic watering hole in the area – has been transformed by landlord Jack Greenall (scion of the Lancashire brewing dynasty), and now serves a high standard of “very reasonable value” British dishes, accompanied by “sensibly priced” Bibendum wines. “Service is spot-on, too”.

On the site of The Crown (RIP) and previously Carvosso's (even longer RIP), Chiswick's former police station has been through a number of incarnations as a would-be pub with none sticking despite it having a characterful site and a brilliant back-door garden. This latest is from JKS Restaurants so hopes are hight. It features a pub floor, reception room, two private dining rooms, a covered outdoor courtyard, and a south-facing front terrace. The menu is inspired by British pub classics, created by Executive Chef John Sparks and Kitchen Table chef James Knappett. Menu highlights include Black Pudding Scotch Egg, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, and Highland Wagyu Hound Dog. The Hound also provides a selection of craft beers, cocktails, and its own label tap wines.