The Black Dog, SE11

An attractive exterior with lower walls tiled brown, high up on the squint end wall is a painted black dog and a striped awning over some outdoor benches gives a bit of a continental feel. Inside a rectangular room has a distressed boarded floor, reclaimed dining tables with carefully mismatched chairs, circular stripped back cast iron columns supporting a high beamed ceiling. The bar runs along a side wall and has an open to view food servery adjoining. Decor includes framed dog pictures, caricatures, cigarette cards and a high shelf contains various old radios. Christmas decs were going up already. Four handpumps, Dark Star Hophead, dear at £4.40, Jennings Cumberland Ale, Wychwood Ruby plus apparently brewed for the pub, English Pale Ale, provenance unknown. Clearly they do food but I failed to note anything from a menu. 60s and 70s soundtrack at low volume. Quite a pleasant spot, enjoyed my short stay here.

Attractive gastro-pub (of the open kitchen variety) at the north end of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. High ceilings and large windows help counteract the generally dark furniture and decor inside. Mind you, on a hot summer afternoon, most of the customers were out on the rear patio, sitting at the front picnic benches or just on the grass on the park (where plastic 'glasses' are required). Four handpumps on the counter, offering the 'house' English Pale Ale, Jennings Golden Host, West Berkshire Screaming Eagle APA (£4.20) and Rosie's Pig cider.