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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Asparagus, Battersea, SW11
SW11
SW11 2PL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about Asparagus
This opened as an item of cutlery in 1998 beneath offices, to be taken over by the Portobello brewery in March 2024 and only visited because the Woodman can’t decide whether it’s open or not, closed last night at 9.20pm.
The interior is small by ‘spoons dimensions and despite the takeover, nothing has changed to what is in effect a by-the-numbers ‘spoons apparition, with patterned carpet, white and burgundy faux Victorian/Edwardian interior with Art Nouveau-inspired stained glass infill to the windows; naturally, the ugly games machines are extant. Customers were young, exuberant studenty types, a far cry from the spooners I encountered when I explored the area back in September.
With Portobello banishing the gang of four, Abbot, Pride, GK IPA and Gloom, though retaining ‘spoons pricing policy, the cask selection amounted to Wandle, Portobello Star and Westway, By The Horns Heatwave and Naked Ladies, just £1.90 a half and very nice, served by a friendly barmaid.
This is a welcome addition to the cask scene in SW11 – in fact it’s the best by far – but the drinking environment leaves a lot to be desired; I’d still prefer the Fox & Hounds.
On 22nd August 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
David Walton left this review about Asparagus
Previously visited under JDW ownership on 13/10/2020 whilst skirting lockdowns and restrictions.
This is now a Portobello Brewery Pub Co pub. In fact nothing feels like it has changed much since the JDW ownership. Essentially a large rectangle with tall circular tables and high stools in front of the bar which greets you as you enter from the busy main road. There is a tiled area in front of the long bar and the rest is carpeted. The other side of some half height screens is the conventional seating area which wraps round the left end of the bar.
Good beer range. Six hand pumps, four dispensing Five Points XPA, Portobello Westway Pale, Twickenham Naked Ladies and By the Horns Stiff Upper Lip. The latter was selected by me for a light intro. There were 21 taps in 3 banks of 7, albeit the sets at either end doubled up Madri, Staro, Pavement Press Hereford cider, Guinness the Portobello Notting Helles and Prava, with the unique ones to each of these sets being Blue Moon and Pravda. The middle set was much more crafty, with the London & Black from A&H, Portobello Stiff Lip (not Upper so less classy), Dennis Hopp’r, Block Party and Saucery, only for the batting average of that set being brought down with Jubel Peach and Aspall cider! If that wasn’t enough, there were 2 sets of 2 taps providing Portobello keg quaffs Vespa and Rainbow Pilsner.
Think this place is a decent quaffing option in the area. Quiet on my mid afternoon visit and the cask beers continuing to be economically priced. Almost notched to a 7 but the place lacks a bit of charm and the music turned up way too high for the time of day for me!
On 24th June 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Asparagus (JD Wetherspoon)
It was a morning start for me yesterday at this branch of Wetherspoon's in Battersea.
The interior is fairly typical 'spoon's, spread over different levels and with plenty of carpet.
At the bar, the usuals Greene King Abbot & Ruddles Best were on. Although, one Abbot clip was turned round and the remaining one may well have been a red herring. Two guests were Twickenham Naked Ladies & Exmoor Exmas.
However, I was more drawn to the ciders - Mr Whitehead's Toffee Apple Cider & Weston's Old Rosie. I hadn't seen any Mr Whitehead's for a while, so plumped for a pint of this.
Service was good, despite them being a little short-handed.
Having caught the bus here from Sloane Square and along the King's Road and having been amongst the London rich, it was quite a contrast stepping into this pub and drinking amongst a much more working class customer base. A few upmarket punters were scattered around, but customers were mostly builder types or general local layabouts!
Toilets are upstairs, whilst a lone TV was on in one corner. Not sure what it was showing, but probably something to do with Covid. Nobody seemed interested.
On 17th December 2021
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Asparagus (JD Wetherspoon)
Pretty standard but seems well cared for Wetherspoons
On 1st July 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1542 recommendations about 1519 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Asparagus (JD Wetherspoon)
A fairly standard Spoons', 5 minutes from Clapham Junction. One large rectangular room, divided up with wooden partitions into separate areas. Despite fairly low ceilings, it keeps a bright feel due to full height glazing all round, with an art nouveau sort of feel. There is a small patio garden to the side. Ales at time of visit included local Sambrook's plus 4 or 5 guest ales from further afield as well as the usual.
On 7th January 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3641 recommendations about 3576 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Asparagus (JD Wetherspoon)
I like this pub. Typical Wetherspoons look, which I have no problem with. Nice garden area, I think, never been out there as always full. Good range of ales though nothing special when I wrote this. Friendly staff.
On 6th June 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 759 recommendations about 721 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Asparagus (JD Wetherspoon)
This Wetherspoons pub, situated in former retail units on a busy street corner, takes its unusual name from the market garden industry that once thrived in Battersea, with asparagus grown here being sold in so called 'Battersea Bundles' in Covent Garden Market. The pub feels surprisingly compact, despite being set in a large rectangular room with the servery running along the back wall. Perhaps it is due to the inclusion of numerous, rails, pillars and banisters which help to break up the vast amount of seating spread out across the room, giving the feel of various different seating areas. In addition to all the standard tables and chairs, there is a nice curved banquette with a filigreed back piece to the left of the front door. Arguably the pub's nicest feature is the long rows of windows on two sides with modest stained glass inserts which allow plenty of light in and looked great on a bright sunny afternoon. The rest of the room has several mirrors, 'Spoons information boards, mute TV screens showing news channels and limited wood panelling, plus a few stained glass panes on the dividing rails previously mentioned. The customer base looked pretty decrepit and unhealthy, so perhaps all the light coming through the windows isn't such a good thing.
I counted twelve hand pumps on the bar, offering a disappointing six 'Spoons regular ales (some doubled up), two guests and three ciders, plus one 'Coming Soon' clip. I tried an American guest ale from the Devil's Backbone Brewery called Independence Day, which was pretty good and served up by a barman whose multi-tasking skills allowed him to deal with me without breaking from the phone conversation he was simultaneously undertaking.
I quite liked the feel of this 'Spoons, as I thought it had more of a former pub look to it compared to some of their other shop conversions. It certainly doesn't set the pulse racing, the guest ale range could do with some expansion and there's not a great deal here that you won't have seen before, but it's a solid option in this part of town and I'd have no problem returning.
On 19th August 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Asparagus (JD Wetherspoon)
Not a very inspiring pub and not much in the way of guest ales. The only good thing about it was the barmaid was very pleasant.
On 2nd March 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Asparagus (JD Wetherspoon)
This is the first pub I've been to with this daft name, and will probably be the last! It's a typical low ceilinged corner conversion of something or other. Apparently there is a garden that I failed to spot.
There are twelve pumps but they are not really put to very good use. Remarkably the Ruddles was available soon as were four of the eight festival beers. One of the remaining three was unused then there was Abbot and Old Rosie Cider.
I went for the Banks's Harpoon IPA (£2.29) which was in good nick. It's a typical Spoons, not worth going out of your way to visit but not one to avoid.
On 26th October 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Asparagus (JD Wetherspoon)
Other than cheap beer and the beer fest not much to mention.Beers in good nick but not a pub I would return to.
On 19th October 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]