The Stonhouse, Stonhouse Street: what to order and when to go
A gastropub with a walled garden and a real fire, just off Clapham High Street: opening hours, what to order and when to book.
By Clapham London Editorial
The Stonhouse is a gastropub at 165 Stonhouse Street, SW4 6BJ, just off Clapham High Street rather than on it. Go on a sunny afternoon for the garden, on a winter evening for the fire, or book ahead for Sunday roast.
What it is
It is a modern gastropub in what was originally a Victorian local, run by the small South London group Three Cheers Pub Co. CAMRA describes bare brickwork, cream décor, a polished wooden bar and floor, and a real fire. There are framed posters on the walls, including a Bowie one. CAMRA lists two cask ales and a good selection of keg beers, plus a children’s menu and a Sunday roast. The pub itself calls the food modern European, with steaks, wines, cask ales and cocktails.
Details are on the pub’s own About page and the CAMRA listing.
A little history
The pub opened as The Stonhouse in November 2006, after major building works and refurbishment. It was formerly called The Windsor Arms. It closed for about five weeks for a refresh and reopened on 2 March 2022. Designers Concorde BGW say the original bar was kept and refurbished, with bright red fixed seating, navy and turquoise accents, a new swing sign and fresh white paint outside.
Londonist readers once nominated it among the best pubs in Clapham, and the site called it “a rock of a pub”, one that does everything well without showing off.
What to order
- Steak. The pub pushes its steaks, and reviewers on TripAdvisor mention a Chateaubriand for two.
- Pie of the day. Reviewers recommend the pies and say they are not mass produced.
- Sunday roast. A big seller, with reviews that are mixed: some praise the beef and gravy, others mark down the veg.
- Cocktails and wine. The pub talks up both. Check the menu for what is on.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are listed on TripAdvisor, and dogs are welcome in the garden according to one third-party page.
The garden and the fire
The walled garden is south-facing, described by the pub as a sun trap, with a pergola and heating. A covered, heated winter garden runs from October to February. Inside, the real fire is the reason to come when it is cold.
When to go
Opening hours match across the pub’s site, Dishcult and WhatPub:
- Monday to Thursday: 11am to 11pm
- Friday and Saturday: 11am to midnight
- Sunday: 11am to 10.30pm
WhatPub lists the kitchen as noon to 9pm Sunday to Thursday and noon to 10pm on Friday and Saturday, but check before you plan dinner around it. CAMRA also lists a 2-4-1 deal from 5pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday, so ask when you arrive.
Best bets: a weekday lunch, a sunny afternoon in the garden, or a winter evening by the fire. One reviewer notes that the pub has three sides, a back room and a garden, so walk-ins can often find a seat. For Sunday lunch, book.
Prices and booking
TripAdvisor puts it in the ££ to £££ band. A third-party guide suggests roughly £6 to £10 for starters, £14 to £22 for mains, £18 to £22 for roasts and £9 to £13 for cocktails. Treat those as a rough guide and check the menu. Some reviewers mention a 12.5% service charge added to the bill, so look at it before you pay.
Book online through the pub’s website or Dishcult, or phone 020 7819 9312.
Somewhere for after
Clapham Picturehouse, 76 Venn Street, SW4 0AT, is a four-screen cinema with a bar and a kitchen serving pizzas. See what is on at the Picturehouse website. An old review mentions a Picturehouse member discount at The Stonhouse, so ask at the bar rather than count on it.
