When you feel like getting out of the house for restaurant-style fare in a relaxed and casual atmosphere, The Fentiman Arms is a gastropub that specialises in dishing up both.

The Venue
The Fentiman Arms is set in a leafy, terrace lined street in Oval, where it is distinguishable from the well kept rows of two-storey Victorian homes only by the potted plants and outdoor seating at its entrance.

When you step inside, the large wooden bar dominates the room. To one side, groups of men sit on donkey-coloured suede stools watching a game flashing on the television, pint in hand. To the left, couples engaged in intimate confabulation recline on the cocoa-coloured couches separated by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, which are lined with well-thumbed classics, magazines and boardgames. Behind the bar, is the intimate dining space, with views over the mossy courtyard. With a capacity for no more than 15 people, the restaurant area is snug and inviting.

Out the back, there is a sweeping wooden deck and a landscaped courtyard for when the warmer days arrive.

The Atmosphere
When you enter the pub, you feel as if you are stepping into the comfort of someone’s home. The decor is clean and uncluttered without being sleek or modern and the food menu offers traditional British grub, with a contemporary twist. Come any night of the week and there will be a steady flow of locals propping up the bar.

Although it’s technically a pub, this is somewhere to come to linger over a long lunch or supper. The Fentiman Arms is a step-up from your local pub, striking the balance between gastro fare and sophisticated sit-down dining. Chandeliers with wicker shades cast a warm glow over the bar and restaurant and the music is a perfectly unobtrusive mix of funk and soul. The restaurant is designed so you can escape the banter of the people at the bar and enjoy a candlelit meal.

The Food
Forget the greasy fish and chips and gluggy pie and mash, the menu at The Fentiman Arms is a serious affair that breathes new life into traditional pub food. The tables are dressed with bottles of olive oil and coarse-grain sea salt and your bread and balsamic dipping sauce comes to you on a heavy wooden cheese board.

There is a good selection of entrees and mains for carnivores, vegetarians and seafood-lovers alike. You won’t be left hungry, as the portions are rich and generous. The Jerusalem artichoke and goat’s cheese quiche is a deliciously creamy starter that’s big enough to enjoy on its own as a main, and the chicken liver salad comes with lashings of rich meat drizzled with a sweet balsamic mustard dressing. The variety of main courses displays influences from France, Italy and the East, all at reasonable prices. The char-grilled rib eye steak with bearnaise sauce (£14) is not for the faint-hearted and the pan friend haddock (£12) is rich and traditional with wholegrain-mustard mash topped with a poached egg. If you can squeeze in dessert, there is a colourful parade of sweet tempters from pecan pie, to cheesecake, sorbet and cheese, starting at £5.

The Drink
The wine list is bursting with choices from Australia, New Zealand, Europe and South America, to suit any budget. The selection is broken down into flavour and texture categories to make choosing your tipple easier. A bottle of 2005 French white starts at £12 and at the other end of the budget are fruity Aussie reds above the £20 mark. For those settling in for the evening, there is also sherry, port and dessert wine.

The Last Word
The Fentiman Arms is, hands down, a true gastropub striking the fine balance between top-level pub grub and a relaxed atmosphere. Whether you’re heading out for a lazy Sunday lunch in the sun or a mid-week meal, this south London destination is worth venturing off the high street for.

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