Leadbelly's, SE16

Called in here on a Sunday morning, as it opens at 10am. Situated on a modern plaza next to Canada Water station, it is more of a cafe than a bar. Most people were in for breakfast, with a few hardy souls sat at tables overlooking the plaza at the front. I was greeted on arrival and I asked whether service was at the bar or table service. The answer was 'either'. So, I took a seat near the door and ordered a half of the Brixton Low Voltage, just about the only decent craft beer on. There is no cask beer here. Despite having ordered it from a menu and seeing that a half was £3, the waiter wanted to charge me £5.80 and had to return to adjust the bill. Paying by card, he presented the machine without showing me the amount. But I just happened to catch a glimpse of the screen and there certainly weren't two zeroes after the 3. Checking my bank account, I soon realised that they'd added a service charge. The moral of the story is to make sure you check the amount before flashing your card in these post-Covid (almost) cashless times. Expensive and unscrupulous place that I doubt I'll ever have the desire to re-visit.

Modern bar / restaurant on Deal Porter Square near Canada Water, under a high ceiling but the otherwise slightly awkward 'J'-shaped layout stops the place feeling cavernous. Mix of furniture and there is an external seating area for the better weather / desperate smokers. No real ale, and a fairly standard selection of keg beers, from which the Beavertown Neck Oil seemed like the best bet (until I got charged £6.05, that is...).

Official site of Leadbelly's - www.leadbellysbar.co.uk