The Britannia Pub

Address: 44 Kipling Street , Bermondsey, London, SE1 3RU, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7403 1030
Door: Open door
Style: Pub (traditional British pub)
Food: Set menu

Review

This otherwise unremarkable pub in the back streets south of Guy's Hospital boasts a selection of over 100 single malt whiskies, which along with its location and keenly priced pub grub attracts locals, office escapees and hospital workers.

A scattering of statuettes dotted around the bar includes Betty Boop provocatively perched on the end of the bar. An old church pew and old beaten-up leather sofas surround the central bar with French café-style chairs around old dining tables to the right being more a space for dinners. On summer days a small side terrace offers an alfresco experience, if not a sun trap.

The choice of drams is impressively listed on the chalk boards across the wall, breaking the red flock wallpaper and wooden panelling. A shapely antique brass tap on the centre of the bar allows self-watering of your choice of whisky. If undecided on whether to opt for the "guest malt" or the "malt of the month", then ask one of the helpful bartenders for a recommendation. The wine (4 whites, 4 reds, 1 rose) and beer selection also fails to live up to that of the whisky but stretches to two cask ales, Bombardier and Tribute.