There may not be a tube station in sight, but if you're not a local, the newly refurbished Prince of Wales pub and dining room in Battersea is worth venturing slightly off the beaten track for.

The Venue
There’s stiff competition for pubs on this stretch of Battersea Bridge Rd, but the new-look Prince of Wales has firmly staked its claim as one of the best gastro pubs in this area. You can’t miss the grand building, with its traditional pub exterior and fresh paint job occupying a prime corner position in this mostly residential area. A refurb has reinvigorated the space with classic London gastro pub favourites: comfy weathered couches, scruffy board games, chunky wooden tables and artfully mismatched furniture contrast with glam chandeliers, sleek teal walls, trendy wine racks and designer wallpaper. Vintage posters adorn the mustard-coloured walls in the dining room, advertising live events like the Boat Race, baseball world series and a live Dolly Parton show, adding a nice sense of character. A leafy beer garden, with climbing tendrils, Oktoberfest-style benches and round wooden tables, is set to become a stunning summer centrepiece when the sun shines on SW11.

The Atmosphere
The Prince of Wales is friendly and relaxing, with everything you want from a good local pub: Thursday quizzes, free wi-fi, an invitation for Bloody Marys on Sundays and scattered newspapers on slouchy armchairs begging for some lazy afternoon or evening perusing. Sports fans haven’t been forgotten – there’s wii Wednesdays (with Formula 1 playoffs), a fussball table and major sporting events shown on the flatscreen TVs. The location makes crowds quite unpredictable, although weekends typically attract the most punters.

The Food
The menu is a mix of gastro pub classics and restaurant-quality dishes that sets Prince of Wales apart from nearby establishments serving less than average food. Changing seasonally, you’ll find typical pub fare like beer-battered fish and chips, beef stew and rib-eye steak alongside less obvious choices.

For starters, the seafood platter (£9), a dish not often found on London pub menus, is great for sharing or for one hungry diner. A half-pint of fresh prawns balances on a board heaving with succulent leaves of smoked salmon, a plate of salty, crunchy whitebait and pots of creamy tartare and a pungent aioli. Smoked mackerel pate (£6) is rich and moreish, if slightly grainy – it’s perfect spread on the slices of crisp, toasted ciabatta.

You can’t go wrong with the pork and leek sausages: a generous helping of three stumpy flavoursome sausages topped with sticky and sweet caramelised onions on a bed of fluffy mash and a pond of light gravy (£9.50). The richness of the delicious calves’ liver (£9) is offset by the smokiness of char-grilling, a ruby red wine jus and more of that mash.

Desserts include gastro pub mainstays like Jude’s ice cream and sticky toffee pudding. Banoffee pie (£5) is your average pudding – tasty enough, with chunks of banana mixed in with a crumbly biscuity toffee base, topped with a neat swirl of cream. The apple and pear crumble looks and tastes more homemade: sweet fruit lies soft beneath a crunchy crumble, divine with pouring custard.

The Drink
There’s lots of choice tipple-wise. An admirable selection of beers and cider are on tap – Erdinger, Amstel, Kronenbourg, Leffe, Bitburger, Aspall Suffolk Cider and Old Rose – starting from £3.35 a pint, as well as regular guest ales. Notable inclusions by the bottle are Anchor Steam Ale (£3.70) alongside Duvel and Pilsner Urquell.

The wine list has 9-10 choices each for red and white with some nice bottles, like the modern Lanzado Joven Rioja, which is fruity and smooth and on the lower end of the price scale at £4.30/£6.15/£18.55 (a nice match with the sausages or steak). An Aussie Shiraz and a Sancerre are the most expensive drops on the list at around £27.65 per bottle.

There are a smattering of tried and tested cocktails (like the classic Tom Collins at £6.50) or if you’re detoxing there are sparkling presses and fancy fruity waters.

The Last Word
A friendly place with an endearing character, the Prince of Wales is likely to leave you with a smile on your face and, hopefully, a full belly.

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