You’re feeling a bit peckish, a tad bored and fancy some good times and company. Head on down to Clapham where The Elephant on the Hill will welcome you with open arms.

The Venue
Situated between three rail stations - the main one being Clapham Junction - is a pub that is unassuming and a pleasant find. Although it’s on a busy main road, there is decking and large parasols greeting customers and come rain or shine, there will always be a group of people huddled together under a heater savouring that forbidden smoke. There’s also a handful of wooden tables which are perfect for the more forgiving summer months.

Upon entering you are welcomed by an inquisitive yet wholly friendly staff member who will guide you to your table. The layout is quite interesting as there is a flurry of tables situated in the main floor area with alcoves of booths to the left hand side. The centre piece has to be the pillar-box red leather sofas in front of an old fire place; this injection of colour really brightens the place up.

Another facet which makes this venue so appealing is its large fronted windows which bring in loads of natural light and makes the venue shine in its own little way.

The Atmosphere
The venue’s previous incarnation was a typical sports pub, with people coming here to watch games, have a fair few pints and then toddle off again. The Elephant on the Hill didn’t want to alienate its old clientele, so it still has two flat screens showing sports, but it’s not the main focus anymore, hence why its inhabitants are slightly different. People come here for a good feed and to chat amongst friends. It has a really local and community feel to it with people of all ages and walks of life coming in for some food or simply a good old pint of ale. The most striking feature here is the staff. They are knowledgeable, personable and just great. They chat with you, make you feel at ease and are by far the best feature of The Elephant on the Hill.

The Food
When perusing the menu, you can see that the chef has put a lot of thought and consideration into the dishes. Each dish, except the desserts, has its origin shown and it is all British, except for the Parma ham, for obvious reasons, but it still tells you that the egg used is from Kent.

Starters begin at £4 for a cream of mushroom soup (Leicestershire) and the rest are a fiver for wild mushrooms with ciabatta or Parma ham asparagus and poached egg. Before you even taste the former, the overpowering aromas from the dish makes your mouth water. The mushrooms are piled on top of the comforting ciabatta and when you taste the two textures you notice just how deliciously sweet they are, making it an intriguing pleasure. The Parma ham wrapped around the asparagus is a simple yet effective dish and the egg offsets the saltiness of the ham wonderfully.

For mains there are many to choose from, including a free range chicken and bacon sandwich (£6) to the more extravagant sirloin steak with hand cut chips and sauce (£14). Two dishes which are a bit different and exhibit the menu well are lamb rump (£13) and the wild rabbit casserole (£9). The lamb has a sunset crimson to it which is the perfect colour for the meat, and is cut into thick pieces. The flageolet beans and curly kale balance the dish out and although the sauce is rich and quite dense, it can be a bit overpowering taking away some of the attention from the lamb. The rabbit casserole is served on the bone and the leeks, carrots and onions it is served with work incredibly well, as does the wholegrain mustard mash. A truly hearty dish, ideal for cold days when you just want to be well fed and looked after.

If you can fit in a dessert, there is a delightful light chocolate and orange torte with raspberry, or a sticky toffee pudding, both at £4.

The Drink
Even though the wine list is quite petite, it still has a decent selection on there. House is £14.25 the bottle, £3.75 a small and £4.95 a large for a Chenin Blanc or a warming, smooth Shiraz. Other appealing tipples include an Australian Chardonnay (£20) and a Argentinean Malbec (£18). The sparking ranges from £20 for a Prosecco, £35 for a Malherbe Champagne and if you want to be a bit fancy there's Laurent Perrier Rose (£65).

If wine isn’t your bag then the large selection of beer on tap and in bottles will definitely impress. Starting at £3.45 there are about eight on draught, which include Bitburger, Kingstone Press Cider, Sambrook’s Wandle and Extra Vedette White. Bottles include Brew Dog, Coopers Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada and Estrella to name but a few astute selections.

The Last Word
If you want wonderfully cooked food with possibly the friendliest atmosphere you’ll ever find in a gastropub, then head to The Elephant on the Hill, you’re guaranteed to be spoilt to bits by the brilliant and effervescent staff.

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