Usually, cinema bars are merely an afterthought, thrown in to make extra money on top of overpriced popcorn. Not here. With eco-friendly snacks, free wi-fi and a great choice of beer on tap, the Clapham Picturehouse Cafe Bar actually stands up as a decent bar in its own right.

The Venue
This isn’t the glittering surroundings of the multiplexes at The Westfield or The O2 – Clapham Picturehouse is local through and through. However, it’s clean, airy and comfortable with a sizeable bar and a few tables and chairs, and it overlooks a quiet, almost quaint street near Clapham Common. It’s set back from the main queues of the ticket booths but benefits from the buzz of cinema-goers come movie time. The best bit about this bar is you can grab a pint and take it into the screens with you. And the seats in these screens are some of the most comfortable in London. Beer, a movie and a reclining seat? Bliss.

The Atmosphere
Couples and groups of friends dominate this bar, making the most of a quick drink before or after a movie. Reflecting the area, the clientele tends to be young, trendy and attractive and in the summer they spill out to the street outside, adding to the throng of Claphamites enjoying a few rays. This is undoubtedly a locals’ spot as it’s not the kind of place you make a point of visiting, not when there’s a cinema for almost every tube station. Just be careful to bring earplugs if you’re waiting to go in to a movie whilst people are coming out – you don’t want to overhear the twist!

The Food
With recyclable sweet and savoury snack packs and biodegradable serving boxes and bags, the Clapham Picturehouse Cafe Bar is a bar with a conscience. And eco-friendly doesn’t have to mean boring. White chocolate-coated raspberries, wasabi peas, mixed sweets or lemon-salted cashews are just some of the snacks on offer alongside the usual popcorn. You can eat here or wait until you get into the movie and it can easily cost you less than a fiver if you don’t go mad and over order. A bargain by cinema standards.

The Drink
Further to their eco-friendly snacks, Clapham Picturehouse Bar offers Fairtrade coffees, part of the Cafedirect initiative that aims to help farmers across the developing world. And priced at less than the neighbouring Starbucks, it’s certainly an attractive option.

If it’s alcohol you want there’s a strong choice of white and red options, well-priced at £14.50-£25.50. Surprisingly, the house white La Picoutine Ugni Blanc/Colombard (£14.50) is a decent house bottle that makes for a pleasant wine with peach notes. Two roses and three sparkling options complete the selection. If beer is more your thing then there’s a good selection of draught and bottled beers, averagely priced for the area at £3-£4, including a decent Asahi on draught.

The Last Word
This is what cinema bars should be about. An excellent add-on to the fine movie-going experience that the Clapham Picturehouse offers.

venue information venue map view london review write a review