The Plough and Harrow, Catford

Tiny pub, next door to a bookies, so horse racing and so on constantly running on the telly. Friendly enough.

25 Mar 2005 15:54

The Catford Ram, Catford

Good choice for a pub lunch. Excellent traditional British food, plus a good selection of well-kept traditional ales.

25 Mar 2005 15:53

The Goose On The Green, Catford

Cheap beer, reasonable food.

25 Mar 2005 15:51

The Rising Sun, Catford

Catford has a big Caribbean population, and this is the Caribbean bar. Denton, the landlord, is from Jamaica, and his partner, Barbara, is a local girl of West Indian origin. They serve Jamaican food (curry chicken, curry goat, plantain, rice & peas etc.) from lunchtime until late evening, eat in or takeaway. There are two pool tables, with plenty of competitive regulars. Friday and Saturday nights it gets heaving, and there is a massive[*] sound system, which gets pretty damn loud, usually playing a mix of modern reggae and dancehall. The clientele is predominantly black, to the point that I've occasionally found myself the only white-skinned customer, but I have nevertheless always found myself welcome there, with no hostility or feeling that I don't "belong". I've been using this pub on a near-daily basis for the last two years, and have yet to see any trouble, though I tend to avoid Friday and Saturday nights because it gets so crowded. Oh, and they're open late -- always good for a pint after 23:00. If you want a sit down pub lunch in a quiet setting, you're probably better off in the Catford Ram, or the Goose on the Green. Other than that, this is the best pub in Catford by a country mile.

[*] Two 4KW amps! -- more than adequate for a venue four times the size.

25 Mar 2005 15:47