A classy yet laid back place in Putney, the Coat and Badge is a great place to enjoy a game of rugby on the big screens, a girly lunch out, or a Sunday session in the garden. This is a pub that’s perfect for a variety of occasions.

The Venue
This cosy pub is just off Putney High Street and it has a spacious outdoor area that promises to be quite a treat when the weather permits. You will also see an outside grill, something which offers the potential to extend the scope of the kitchen to the garden area during the summer months. The interior is stylishly decorated to create a relaxed yet upmarket feel. Walled bookshelves and comfy sofas set the scene for long sessions of drinks and banter. The 3 big TV screens, one of which is outside, invites sport lovers to enjoy a lively day with like-minded enthusiasts.

The Atmosphere
An eclectic mix frequents this establishment, from young Putney professionals in the evening and weekends to mum’s who lunch during the day, this is a quintessential South West London pub. You are attended to by friendly, relaxed staff that help give the Coat and Badge the laidback, cosy feel its warm interior deserves.

The Food
The food on the simple menu is typically modern British. The chicken liver pate chutney with toast (£6.00) is excellent. The sharp, tasty chutney cuts through the smooth creamy pate with the crunchy toast offering a wonderful mix of tastes and textures. The smoked haddock, spinach, poached egg and Hollandaise (£6.50) is not something you would expect from a pub menu and the combination of the slightly smoked fish and the buttery spinach is topped off well by the perfectly poached egg - clearly some attention to detail has been paid here.

Mains range from beer battered fish and chips to steak and kidney pudding. The grilled dry-aged rib steak with onion rings and pepper sauce (£12.95) is very tasty and well presented, and although the cut is a little thin and sinewy, it is cooked exactly to order. The dish is topped off with crispy onion rings and a slightly overpowering pepper sauce. Alternatively, the gammon, eggs and chips (£10.95) is everything you expect of such a comforting option. The combination of salted, tender gammon and crispy chips mopped up with soft gooey eggs is a very enjoyable combination.

The desserts are impressive, so much so that the apple crumble (£4.50) tastes like it has come freshly baked from a mother’s oven. The subtle sourness of the warm apples and the crunchy layer of sweet crumble, served with hot custard on the side, makes for the perfect end to a hearty meal.

The cheese board (£6.50) is more than enough for two. A simple selection of cheddar, Camembert and blue cheese served with a variety of biscuits is a great match to the last glass of wine, but it is useful to ask the waiter what types of cheese are served as it is not clear from the menu.

The Drink
The wine is sourced form all over the world and an attentive selection process is evident in the list. There is something to enjoy for everyone from the discerning wine lover to the complete novice, with the wines ranging from £13.90 to £28.60 per bottle. The Champagne and sparkling wine ranges from £23.50 to £50.00 per bottle. With the exception of a handful, all the items on the wine list are available by the glass. The standard of the house wine is well above the average pub’s drop. The wine list is easy to navigate as it is sectioned by style and complexity which takes the guess work out of picking the perfect bottle to suit your mood.

The beer on tap is also worthy of praise as it includes Brains SA, Sharps Cornish and Doombar, all of which helps make this pub a special find for the ale enthusiast.

The Last Word
This cosy, bubbly and inviting pub is definitely above average. The price of the food means that whilst it’s not a cheap feed, it is definitely good value for money and the drink selection has enough variety to satisfy most thirsts.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (2) image gallery (6)