BFI Riverfront, Southbank, SE1

Official site of BFI Riverfront - www.benugo.com

Official site of BFI Riverfront - www.benugo.com

Well described by Rex, below, this bar still has the works canteen feel to it, although it may have been slightly changed by the introduction of sofas, many of which had been occupied by nursing mothers. The remainder of the clientele were a mix of obese, nose-picking artistic wanabees and normal humans, while the staff were mostly quite pleasant. Two ales on draft, Deuchres IPA and London Beer Factory's Chelsea Blonde. Both were in good condition, well kept and enjoyable. It's good enough as a lunchtime cafe, and it is very convenient for the National Film Theatre (in fact it shares that institution's toilets) but somehow it just doesn't feel like a proper pub.

I ended up in here by default in a way. As we had time to spare my companions decided that we should go for a "latte", which I gather is really coffee, not milk. Anyway they knew just the place, and as we entered the Riverfront they all gravitated towards the coffee and cake counter on the left. But seeing some handpumps on the bar counter on the right I obviously sidled off unnoticed in that direction. Deuchars IPA was on one of the pumps, and London Beer Factory Chelsea Blonde was on a couple of others. I had a pint of the latter - served in a plastic mug as we were going to sit outside. The prices are still just as eye-watering as that encountered by the previous reviewer - the pint of Chelsea Blond was £4.75. It looked I bit hazy so I engaged in conversation with the barmaid about filtering and finings. She told me that they use some kind of spigot in the engine to filter ale as it's being pulled. I've never heard of filtration at the point of dispense, but she said that it allows them to serve beer that wouldn't otherwise be ready to sell. Sounds a bit odd to me, but I have to say that my pint of Chelsea Blond was very good indeed. It's very much like a works canteen in here in terms of atmosphere. The outside seating is all film director's fold up canvass chairs, presumably as a nod to the British Film Institute connection. I guess if you have to stop somewhere like this, it is a bit of a result to find something like Chelsea Blond on handpump, even it does rock up at a wallet busting £4.75 a pint.