The Windmill on Clapham Common South Side: what to order and when to go

The Windmill is the big Young's pub and hotel on Clapham Common South Side, SW4 9DE. Go for the Sunday roast, a pint of Young's cask and a seat in the garden. Booking is sensible for a roast, and the pub is dog friendly.

Not to be confused with the Windmill in Brixton, which is a separate grassroots live-music venue, or the historic tower mill in Blenheim Gardens run by a charity. This one is the pub on the Common.

What it is

It is a Young's pub with a restaurant and a 42-bedroom hotel attached, on the south side of Clapham Common. CAMRA lists it as Grade II listed and describes it as a sporty pub where rugby is popular, with teams from the Common gathering there. The name reverted in 2024 from The Windmill on the Common to simply The Windmill, though older listings still use the long name.

It is a sprawling place with distinct drinking areas. Pub & Bar describes zones running from bar to pub to sports screens to restaurant. CAMRA also mentions a room with a “whispering gallery” and an artistic depiction of the windmill on the floor between the bars. It has a garden and is family friendly.

A bit of history

A pub is believed to have stood here since 1665, when it was Ye Olde Windmill Inn, and it is named after a windmill that stood nearby. The exact site of that mill is now unknown. The Brixton Windmill charity says little is known about the original Clapham Common mill, which was probably a small post mill, and that 18th-century pictures show the inn but not the mill.

Parish records for 1665 name the miller as Thomas Crenshaw, who was also an alehouse keeper, according to the Shady Old Lady guide. By 1789 the inn was recorded as a “genteel” house. CAMRA says it was much extended in the 19th century. Young’s has been involved with the pub since 1848.

What to order

The Sunday roast is the headline order. The pub promotes it on its own site, with a Bloody Mary made with Pickle House tomato mix, and the food page pairs a Malbec with the roast beef. Roasts run from 12pm to 10pm on Sundays. Check the current Sunday menu on the site for prices before you go.

The everyday large plates on the food page include:

• Dingley Dell pork belly with black pudding and prune roulade, mash, hispi cabbage and caramelised apple, £19.50
• Short rib and brisket cheeseburger with fries, £22.00
• Plant burger (vegan), £19.50

For a pint, the cask beers are Young’s London Original and London Special, according to CAMRA London. The price band is ££.

When to go

From the pub’s website:

• Breakfast: Monday to Friday 7am to 11am, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 11am
• Lunch: Monday to Saturday 11am to 4pm
• Dinner: Monday to Saturday 4pm to 10pm
• Sunday roast: 12pm to 10pm

The site shows the pub open 8am to 11pm. Ring on 020 8673 4578 if you are planning around a particular hour. In summer the garden is the draw, and the dining room can fill with hotel guests on weeknights, so book if you want a table.

Booking and getting there

There is a “Book a table” button on the website, plus the phone line above. The pub says it is a five-minute stroll from Clapham Common and Clapham South stations on the Northern line.

For after

The Common is on the doorstep. Chestertons describes it as 220 acres with three ponds, playgrounds, a skate park, sports facilities and a restored Victorian bandstand. A walk off the roast to the bandstand is the obvious next move.

Staying over

The hotel has 42 rooms, and Pub & Bar reported they were upgraded in 2024. Check the website for current rates.