Where to drink real ale and craft beer in Clapham
Cask pubs on Clapham Park Road and Old Town, a keg-heavy tap on Clapham Manor Street and a railway arch taproom by Wandsworth Road.
By Clapham London Editorial
Start at The King & Co on Clapham Park Road if you only have one night. It is the strongest all-rounder for cask and craft in SW4, and the rest of this list fills in the Old Town, the Common and the arches by Wandsworth Road.
The cask pubs
The King & Co, Clapham Park Road, SW4
The pub is at 100 Clapham Park Road, SW4 7BZ, and it was formerly the King’s Head. CAMRA lists it with cask ale and real cider, and gives opening time as 4pm. It was CAMRA South West London Pub of the Year in 2019. The Nudge and That’s Up both describe 18 keg lines and six cask lines, and Visit London says food comes from rotating residencies and pop-ups. Order whichever cask or keg is on the chalkboard, plus the food residency of the moment. The Nudge also mentions a quiz every Monday. The number is 020 7498 1971 if you want to check before you go. Details: CAMRA and The Nudge.
Prince of Wales, Old Town, SW4
This is an independent corner pub at 38 Old Town, SW4 0LB, with neon “POW” signage and eclectic décor. CAMRA lists regular cask Harveys and Landlord plus a changing guest. Londonist picked it as an eccentric pub on the edge of the Old Town with an interior unlike anywhere else. See CAMRA.
The Stonhouse, Stonhouse Street, SW4
Just off Clapham High Street at 165 Stonhouse Street, SW4 6BJ, this Three Cheers pub is a gastropub with a real fire. CAMRA says two cask ales and a good keg selection, a Sunday roast and a children’s menu. The pub’s own site gives hours of Monday to Thursday 11am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to midnight, and Sunday 11am to 10.30pm. CAMRA also notes a 2-4-1 happy hour from 5pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday. Sources: CAMRA and the pub.
The Windmill, Clapham Common South Side, SW4
The Young’s pub at Clapham Common South Side, SW4 9DE, dates from 1665. The London CAMRA entry lists Young’s London Original and London Special, with hours of 10am to 11pm daily. It takes card only. It is sporty, with rugby popular and teams from the Common gathering there. Details: CAMRA London.
Craft keg and a garden
The Clapham Tap, Clapham Manor Street, SW4
At 128 Clapham Manor Street, SW4 6ED, the Clapham Tap opened in August 2017 in the former Craft Beer Co premises. CAMRA describes 16 craft keg taps and usually two changing cask beers, plus a food menu. The garden has table tennis, table football, darts and boules. CAMRA London lists opening at 4pm Monday to Friday and noon at weekends, so it is an evening stop on weekdays. Source: CAMRA.
The taproom
Distortion Brewing Tap, Portslade Road, SW8
The taproom is in a railway arch at 647 Portslade Road, SW8 3DH, by Wandsworth Road station on the edge of the Old Town. It is open Thursday to Sunday, with Friday from 4pm to 11pm, Saturday 1pm to 11pm and Sunday 2pm to 8pm. Beers include Pulse Pilsner, Sonar NE Pale Ale and Phaser DDH Pale Ale, served in halves, two-thirds and pints. It is cashless, there is no real ale, and CAMRA mentions a Sunday quiz from 5pm. Check Thursday hours before you head over. See the drinks menu and CAMRA.
Bottles to take home
Clapton Craft, St John’s Hill, Clapham Junction fringe
Opposite Clapham Junction station at 31 St John’s Hill, SW11 1TT, this compact shop stocks about 200 bottles and cans, according to the London Beer Guide, with a few keg taps and a growler refill station. The shop’s own site gives hours of Friday and Saturday 11am to 10pm. See Clapton Craft.
On Abbeville Road, Bottle Apostle at 59 Abbeville Road, SW4 9JW, is wine-led but also stocks a varied choice of craft beers, according to That’s Up. Treat it as a browse for a few cans, not a beer shop.
How to plan it
- Cask first: Prince of Wales in the Old Town, then The King & Co.
- Keg first: the Clapham Tap on Clapham Manor Street.
- Sunday: Distortion until 8pm.
Hours change, so ring ahead before a special trip.
