The White Hart has all the key ingredients of a great pub: excellent drinks, a friendly crowd, and a welcoming, comfy space. With so many London pubs failing to tick these boxes, it’s worth seeking out for a pint or three.

The Venue
Ideally situated, The White Hart is crawling distance from Waterloo station but thankfully, just round the corner, so it avoids tourists and weekend revellers travelling up from the provinces. It’s also at the top end of atmospheric Roupel Street - two rows of preserved Victorian terrace houses that evoke ‘ye olde London’ like nowhere else. Inside, it's very much pub chic: traditional square bar, oak tables, and lots of cute quirks like art deco lampshades and fairy lights.

The Atmosphere
A youthful, well-heeled clientelle comprises trendy media types, office workers, locals, and medical students from nearby Kings College. Friendly and unpretentious, it’s consequently very popular, and you’ll be hard pushed to snag a table until after 8pm when the suits stagger home and crowds thin to comfortable levels. Weekends are busy but less so, so it’s a great spot to kick start a Saturday night.

The Food
If you manage to find a free table at the White Hart, you’ll be rewarded with decent, good value food. Most popular are the plump burgers made with aged beef and a choice of interesting toppings like dolcelatte and bacon, or pesto and Parmesan. Disappointingly, these and other mains come with a paltry scattering of wedges rather than chips. Sharers are well catered for with generous mezze platters and plates of crispy calamari strips. On Sundays, hungry folk flock in for the well-priced roast.

The Drink
This is where the White Hart really excels. With over 20 well-kept draft beers and ciders on offer, choosing what to drink next is a fun dilemma indeed. Alongside Erdinger, Leffe and more conventional continental brews, you’ll find unexpected gems like Maredsous, a potent Abbey beer from Belgium. Menus dotted around the bar help you choose by telling you a bit about all the beers, ciders and wines on offer. At busy times service can get painfully slow, so your best bet is to sneak in through the Roupel Street entrance and attack the less well-defended side bar.

The Last Word
The White Hart is a bit like your favourite jumper. It’s not exactly sophisticated, but it’s comfortable, cosy, and just feels right. Add to that an atmospheric location, excellent drinks selection and good prices, and it’s no wonder the crowds keep returning.

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