Serving modern British food in a classic London pub, The Palmerston is what most gastropubs aspire to be.

The Venue
This a wood-panelled, old fashioned looking affair situated on the corner of the chi-chi Northcross Road and the even more chi-chi Lordship Lane. Once known as the Lord Palmerston (why was the Lord dropped? No idea), The Palmerston is a bright, welcoming place with two rooms – the main pub and a smaller, dining-only back room. The tiled floors are particularly nice.

The Atmosphere
You get all sorts in here: gastrobores, mums and babies, confirmed boozers and all others in between. The atmosphere can vary between reasonably relaxing during weekday lunches and incredibly convivial and quite loud on a Saturday night. It is never unpleasant though – and there are tables outside for those who want to soak up the sun, rain or wind. Service is occasionally a little patchy, but not so that it would drive you into an impotent rage.

The Food
One of the true delights of The Palmerston is its £10 two-course weekday menu: expect classic cuts of meat and interesting bits of fish cooked in a modern British and classic French style. For about £14.00 you can have pudding or cheese. It really is one of the best lunch deals in South London.

The a la carte menu is also worth a look: it’s the lunch menu writ large, with the emphasis on high-quality meat and fish. So there’s a roast rump of salt marsh lamb with creamed tomatoes and basil, a fillet of line caught halibut with girolles, samphire, lobster sauce and chives or a whole Dorset blue lobster with shallots, garlic, pernod, parsley and tarragon. Particularly worth a look are the dishes to share, which could be a cote de boeuf or a roast saddle of venison depending on when you go in.

The Drink
There’s an interesting, varied wine list that takes in everything from French classics to cheaper, New World options. An Argentinian Malbec (Altos Las Hormigas, Argentina, 2006) is recommended at about £17.00 the bottle.

This being a pub, the ale is pretty good, too. Timothy Taylor’s Landlord appears to be a regular and Harvey’s Sussex Best has also been spotted. There are also classic cocktails and a reasonable selection of whiskeys. The Last Word
The Palmerston is perhaps a little pricey, but given the quality of the cooking and ingredients, it’s a minor quibble.

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