One of the most popular pubs in Clapham, The Sun benefits from its position away from the main throng of Clapham High Street.

The Venue
The Sun is mostly known for its large beer garden, an area complete with parasols for the inevitable rain and plenty of outdoor seating. Foliage creates a real sense of the great outdoors and in the warmer months it’s a hotspot for Claphamites. Inside, it’s a more rough around the edges affair, albeit one with charm. A huge central bar is perfect for the many busy periods as you can be served from three sides, reducing queues. The array of seating, mainly comprising of high stools and lower tables, are slightly rickety in their appearance but do the job and offer a certain shabby chic appeal. An upstairs area with lots of sofas and a downstairs space are also available for hire.

The Atmosphere
The staff here often work under the stress of throngs of thirsty after work drinkers and aren’t always that efficient of keeping check of who’s next in line. You need to be vocal and make yourself seen in order to be served in a timely manner – it’s survival of the fittest at the bar. Trendy Antipodeans make up the bulk of the clientele – it is Clapham after all – but the drunken partygoers of the main Clapham High Street strip are refreshingly absent. You’ll find that punters here are almost entirely local.

The Food
Perhaps surprisingly given its boozer appeal, the food at The Sun is posh pub grub. Think sea bass and pork belly alongside the usual burger and chips staples with prices to match. Expect to pay around £10-£15 on average for a main meal but also expect the quality to be beyond what you’d expect in a typical pub. The food is good quality with fresh ingredients that are well prepared. Even the burger is decent with a thick patty, toasted bun and fresh salad alongside chunky chips. It’s more than just an afterthought.

The Drink
The prices at The Sun are a little on the high side but in keeping with the Clapham Common/Clapham Old Town location. The main complaint is that, despite quite a strong showing of beer on draught, often there are several taps unavailable and it can take a while to be served. A strong draught beer selection includes Spitfire, Wandle, Landlord and Franziskaner. There’s also a healthy wine list, and with house bottles priced at under £15, it’s great value.

The Last Word
Despite long waiting times to get served, The Sun remains popular for a variety of reasons: an excellent beer garden, good food and a decent selection of drink help keep it competitive against the many quality pubs in the area.

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