7 months ago
Picture your ideal local & we think it might look something a bit like OTT. Cosy, great beers, fun atmosphere & burgers to die for.
Old Town Tavern has a little bit of everything for everyone. They’ve hit that sweet spot where they serve great pub food (but they’re not stuffy), they’ve got games to play (but it’s not rowdy) and loads and loads of beer (but they’re all properly good ones). It’s the kind of place where you can rock up for a chilled one with a mate for a quick pint or organise a big group of friends to watch the match in their downstairs event space… They’ll have Sky sports turned on.
Recently there’s been a few changes, so we went over to check out what was new but we were pleased to see that the ground floor space hasn’t been altered. The cosy, wooden interior is still decked out in old school Clapham memorabilia- there are posters all over advertising Clapham events from decades ago (check out the one with the Common’s ‘hopping competition’). Old Town Tavern has the largest selection of beer taps in Clapham so of course there’s the iconic 20 taps behind the bar ready and waiting to serve some of the freshest pints out. Downstairs has been made into a good time space. It’s a games/events room that has a few tables at one end for larger groups and the rest is filled with all the classic pub games you could want. We’re talking smart darts (smart because it tracks your score for you so there’s no annoying adding up needed), a pool table, a foosball table and retro arcade games. It would be the perfect spot to bring a big group when the next celebration creeps up- relaxed and fully equipped to make sure you have a great night. But you could also just head down with a pint and a pal when you’re next in the mood for a bit of competitive fun.
They’ve handed over their kitchen to Marlowe’s Burgers, who have a few spots in other parts of the country and are producing what can only be described as mega food porn. They do burgers really, really well, making the simple, crave-able kind that aren’t too fussy but are bloody fantastic. We tried out two; the ‘Yeah Lovely’, which was, well, lovely. 2 beef patties, American cheese, streaky bacon and pickles in a soft, sweet brioche bun. It ticked all the boxes for us: salty, sour, crunchy, creamy. The MAJ was a zingy little number. Again, 2 of the beef patties, cheddar, loads of caramelised onions, some crispy onions for a bit of texture and a load of drippy mustard mayo to cut through the sweetness from the onions. Both were the kind of burgers that we were dying to put straight on the Instagram story, they were stunners.
Some sides came to accompany the burgers. The sweet potato fries are an absolute must order. They’ve got to be some of the best we’ve had in Clapham. No sog in sight, just pure crunch. The dirty fries were certainly dirty and loaded up with a really rich beef chilli. It was totally moreish plate and exactly the kind of dish we’d want to order multiple rounds of as the beers sink in. Finally were a trio of chicken tenders were satisfyingly crunchy and very easy to chomp through. They came with a pot of ‘Marlowe’s sauce’ which tasted like an elevated burger sauce; beautifully tangy and extremely slather-able.
The food is worth a trip to Old Town Tavern in its own right, but of course it wouldn’t be a trip without a pint to wash it all down with. It’s a treat that we beg you not to miss out on. They’re open late too, especially on the weekends where they’ve got the latest license in Clapham Old Town, so if you’re stuck for a place to grab that night cap, then swing by for your final drink. But we’d recommend going earlier and digging into a burger, some fries and hunkering down with some old school games. Show us a better night, cause we can’t think of one.
