The Rising Sun, Epsom

A handsome back street pub - not too far from the town centre. Another in the Good Beer Guide 2026 to tick off. A gastropub feel - with a front bar and a more populated back restaurant. I couldn't believe that my Ordinary Bitter from Anspach & Hobday was only £3.60 a pint. I am in the South East. I am in a Gastropub. Apparently this is a Monday offer on all casks - and it is normally £5 - which is still pretty good value. Pleasant visit.

This Big Smoke pub is in a slightly unexpected location, in the quietest of back streets, with a much bigger garden than you'd expect stretching out to the back. Smooth FM-style music was playing at a comfortable volume in a nicely furnished room making this a comfortable place to hang out. The bar supports couple of cask Pale Ales from the host Big Smoke Brewery, plus a 12-tap keg fount offering half-a-dozen more, and a smattering of interesting guests. The menu covers a good range though seems to have suffered from the recent wave of inflation. As I've come to expect from this brewery's pubs, the staff are friendly and enthusiastic. I'd rate this as a quality operation which would enhance any suburban street.

Official site of The Rising Sun - www.risingsun-pub.co.uk

Official site of The Rising Sun - www.risingsun-pub.co.uk

All change, the pub is the latest addition to the Big Smoke Brew Co portfolio. The people behind the Antelope in Surbiton and the Albion in Kingston amongst others.

With both the nearby Barley Mow and the Railway Guard still closed following Covid restrictions, our last port of call in Epsom was The Rising Sun. The pub has an unexpectedly large rear garden, which actually provides more seating than could be accommodated inside the pub. The interior itself has a small public bar at the front, with a slightly larger area beyond, presumably for diners. We arrived around 5:30pm and the pub was surprisingly busy considering it wasn't advertised to open until 5pm. Just the one real ale was offered, but it was an unusual one - Sly Beast Beam Engine Pale. Staff were friendly enough and the garden was a nice place to sit in with the early evening sunshine still creating sufficient warmth.