A sleek, stylish venue with a French-influenced food and wine menu, The Lion is certainly one of Teddington’s finest.

The Venue
The attractive exterior is painted a light purple/grey at the bottom, with natural, sand-coloured brickwork towards the top; it’s certainly an enticing sight. Inside, you’ll find a clean, light and airy interior with the bar directly in front of you and an open fireplace and sofas to the right. Paintings line the walls, with quirky touches such as pig-shaped blackboards throughout, and the bar has an attractive display of glasses, with a real focus on wines. As you walk further into the pub, you’ll be surprised by how far it stretches back. French doors lead to a patio area that would be lovely for summer drinks, and large wooden tables and chairs offer a relaxed place to drink inside in the colder months. There’s a large, more formal dining area called ‘La Cloche at The Lion’ with loads of seating for getting a bite to eat.

The Atmosphere
Comfortable yet stylish, The Lion is likely to be filled with smartly dressed people enjoying a glass of wine or a plate of French food. Families are welcome, but this seems more like a place for adults to relax and unwind in a lovely setting. Staff are extremely professional and impeccably dressed, with plenty of knowledge to impart should you need a helping hand.

The Food
Expect numerous French classics and the option to choose from a set menu priced at £17.95 for two courses and £20 for three. Dishes may include snails in garlic and parsley butter or duck rillette served with vegetable pickles to start, and duet of salmon and hake in a rich fish sauce with steamed vegetables and potatoes or Provencal beef stew with olives and steamed potatoes as mains. Smaller plates include pan-fried eggs Catalan-style with potatoes and chorizo sausage (£6.95), and croque monsieur (£5.50), and the perfect option to share – a platter of charcuterie and cheeses (£12.95). Desserts include chocolate and mocha coffee cake with salted caramel ice cream and apple and fruit crumble with vanilla ice cream.

The Drink
The Lion is certainly more of a wine bar than a traditional pub, but there are beers are on offer, including Becks, Stella, Budweiser and Fuller’s London Pride. There’s a great selection of wines, mainly from France, and the house bottle is priced at a respectable £14.95.

The Last Word
Fantastic French food and wine in a wonderful, grown-up setting – you’ll probably find it hard to leave.

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