The Canton Arms

South Lambeth Road is quite a busy road but not one you would find yourself walking down unless you lived in the area — or meeting a friend living locally. Which is why I have checked in quite a few times now, the Canton Arms has become our favourite meetup place. We usually meet during the day when it’s quiet, but not dead, there are always a few peeps dotted around. It gets super busy after work, especially when the sun is out and the deck out front packs out.
The interior is the perfect combo of old fashioned pub feeling with a contemporary twist, resulting in a very welcoming atmosphere — and me wishing this was my local rather than a tube right and a walk from Stockwell station.
I have yet to sample their food, but if their coffees are anything to go by, it is bound to be ecceslent. Cappuccino better than many dedicated coffee shops!

The Canton Arms is a gastropub *par excellence* which can charitably be described as a victim of its own success. A doyenne of the South London gastronomic scene, it is a member of the same family of pubs as The Anchor & Hope in Waterloo, Great Queen Street in Covent Garden and The Camberwell Arms in Camberwell. All ballyhooed establishments which at the end of the day feel like more work than they’re worth, despite the at-​times brilliant food.
The Canton Arms is divided between a pub half and a restaurant half, a surefire sign that a gastropub which claims to be both is truly never either. Arriving on a Sunday around 14:30 — The Canton Arms only serves between 12:00 and 16:00 on Sundays and does not take reservations — we dutifully queued up at the restaurant’s entrance to put in our names for a table. Upon spotting a free table at the far end of the bar, we inquired whether we could be served here. We were told that a waiter would come around to take our orders, as otherwise ordering from the bar and expecting the dedicated restaurant wait staff to attend to us would be ‘chaotic.’ After 30 minutes of dutiful waiting in the bar area — where we tried, and failed, to flag down the bartender’s attention to remedy our plight, a bartender who simply gestured helplessly at the wait staff — we returned to the restaurant to inquire about our service. At which point we were told that we had been expected to sit in the restaurant area all along, and that a table would be cleared anon. Thirty-​five minutes after arrival, we were finally seated in the back-​half of the establishment, which from the sound of clanking silverware we hoped would bring some sort of relief from our gastropub purgatory.
How wrong we were. Despite some quality food — which lands decidedly more on the side of refined dining than pub grub — service couldn’t have been more disinterested than if the pub’s patrons were spontaneously drafted into the wait staff. We were ‘greeted’ by our waitress with a limp visual handshake. She only perked up — a bit — when asking if we wanted sides with our mains (they must be well versed in salesmanship if not in customer service), but apart from that brief flare-​up of personality, she remained a spectre for much of the remainder of the lunch. That is, until things turned disastrously wrong with the wait for the main course.
Initially, The Canton Arms seemed to peer promisingly around a corner. For starters, we ordered duck hearts with coriander, lime, garlic and chili — tender, moist starbursts of flavour delicately poised at the edge of excess. The Beaujolais was equally impressive, with a peppercorn start and strawberry-​vanilla finish. We could almost have forgiven them for the three ½ slices of bread served for free before the levying of a £2 surcharge for more. From here, though, service and expectations were doomed.
Nigh-​on 45 minutes later came the first sign that something was rotten in the state of Canton. The waitress, heretofore as distant as a vegetarian to a duck heart, suddenly began inquiring about our levels of satisfaction, meekly bookending her inquiries with lame apologies for the slow service. Furtive conversations with another waitress — always an ominous sign — laid bare the probable truth that either the kitchen had forgotten about us or had neglected us altogether for the better part of an hour; I remain undecided on which is more offensive.
When the food finally arrived, it landed limp and lame. The venison mains that two of us ordered were supposed to have been served with pane carasau, but were instead accompanied with an insipid pile of watery mash, which rendered our order of a side of potatoes entirely superfluous. We had to point this out to the wait staff before they admitted they had run out of the flatbread. Worse, the dishes were served as cold as the service. When we sent them back, they were returned freshly nuked not five minutes later, but without the fresh layer of gremolata promised on the menu.
The side potatoes were entirely devoid of seasoning or dressing. A complimentary salad — a sad acknowledgment of the kitchen’s and management’s utter failure to please — was lanky and lacking in flavour. Besides, what self-​respecting establishment offers up a plate of leaves as a professed expiation of sin? That’s taking the olive branch offering a little too literally.
The shame of it all is that The Canton Arms is capable of much better, at least in terms of its kitchen’s output. On a harried Sunday lunch service, though, the entire staff seemed about as bothered as hired hands at a festival’s beer stand. They didn’t seem to want our patronage, although I am sure their employers will miss the pounds I will be taking elsewhere next Sunday and every Sunday thereafter.

Such a cosy pub serving some great ales. Missed time our visit as we came out of hours of the kitchen. But we ended up getting some hot bar snacks. They made us an amazing haggis toastie which was very reasonably priced. (Visit — 31/​05/​2014 Late Afternoon Snack)

Have lived in the area for a little while and decided to give this place a go. It is a pub with a restaurant and is what you might expect by being a bit shabby chic but with an offbeat food lover menu.
I like all these things and the Canton Arms did not disappoint in providing these but I was ultimately disappointed in my choice of food on the day of my visit on the 26^th of July. I felt the food was quite overpriced for what it was which can be the case at gastro pubs; pub atmosphere with gourmet restaurant style prices and small portions.
My food choice was the lobster soup for an appetiser and a pepper stew for a main course. The former definitely tasted like lobster and was tasty. No sign of lobster but a good flavouring. Lobster is expensive so there was no expectation of having lobster chunks though some would’ve been good.
The pepper stew was simple and tasty but it left me feeling that I could have made the same at home and saved the expense. It was therefore nothing spectacular and at nearly £15 for the dish I was expecting something to make me grip my socks tight for otherwise they would have been blown clear off my feet.
At roughly £25/​head this is an expensive meal and I went for the relatively cheaper alternatives. Perhaps it was my choices on the day that are at fault though the cost would still leave you expecting more from the food.
HOWEVER I MUST SAY the fresh baked bread was very good.
Otherwise service was good and was baby friendly on a Sunday.
I was disappointed and as a result I will not be rushing back to give it another go. Next time I might just stop in for a pin instead.

Stopped by my mate’s neighbourhood pub to wait on them one late afternoon. Reaching the end of a long ferry/​train journey, culminating at Stockwell tube station, I was in need of some serious sustenance. The cheese toasties satisfied that craving, delicious moreish slices of bread, oozing gooey cheese, the best toasties I’ve had in a pub! You can add extra toppings if you fancy it.
The pub itself has a welcoming, laid back atmosphere and friendly staff. Lots of space indoors and outdoors to socialise in the summer, great selection of spirits and beers. My friend informed me that this gastropub is one of the top rated in the UK, and I can well believe it! Not the cheapest pub, but you make little sacrifices for a good local watering hole.

Favourite pub. Great food which changes depending on what’s seasonal. Good beer. Great relaxed atmos and in no way a try hard gastro pub — oh and Haggis toasties. Yum.

If you’re looking for a pub that delivers on ale selection and great food, then the Canton Arms ticks all the boxes.
You cannot book a table here, so best to get there early. This is fine though, as the atmosphere is cosy, and the drinks selection plentiful.
Canton Arms starts you off with a plate of delicious home made bread, with butter. It’s a really great space, surrounded by jars of the pub made pickles, jams, and sauces.
We had the beef short rib pie for two. A massive, hearty meal served family style. The sides were tasty, creamy mash and salty, seasonal veg in butter. So. Much. Food. But, oh so delicious!
Dessert was a small, but punchy, chocolate pudding. We were so full by then but continued on the food quest, spurred on only by the sheer yumness.

Wow! This place is a hidden gem. Well, that’s the image it gives off — it’s not so much hidden given the cracking Guardian review earlier this year and the fact that it is common foodie knowledge. That said, the charm is not lost as a result. From the outside looking in it looks, well, a bit rough. As you enter, it looks, well, a bit rough around the edges! Like a proper old time boozer, the only thing seemingly missing from the stripped back, unvarnished floor boards is sawdust, and the fact that although old and wonky looking, the tables and three legged stools in the bar are actually perfectly stable and only stylised as rickety! There was a good selection of beers and the barmaid was willing to explain what was on tap that we didn’t already know. There is a bar menu with delicious sounding toasties on (foie gras!?) but I didn’t see or order any of these as we were merely stopping in the bar whilst we waited on our friends for dinner. Alas, I also can not comment on the full menu of the Canton Arms as we were here purely for the Salt Marsh Lamb for 4. It takes around half an hour to prepare but when it arrives, in a 30 cm diameter (ie MASSIVE) cast iron pot paired with large forks and tonges, it is totally worth the wait. The meat can be liberally pulled from the bone and scooped up to make a kind of serve your self casserole. Totally delish. Accompanied by potato gratin, crispy on top, mellow and creamy beneath with a delicious tweak on onion. From memory, we paid about £20 each (between 4) for a pint each, the lamb, potatoes, a side of cabbage and a bottle of red. so a TOTAL bargain. Not least as the food could easily have fed 6. Amazing. One to visit next time you’re off to a gig at Brixton Academy, or just make a special trip, you won’t be disappointed!

Walked in the door on a Saturday evening and… there’s jazz playing, and… there are free seats to be sat on!
What’s not to like? A good, honest bar with some tasty ales on, decent cocktail list, very friendly staff and good selection of not-​too-​loud music all evening! And ceiling to floor cladded in wood panelling. I’m a sucker for a bit of wood panelling… Interesting mix of clientele as well, all age brackets, groups large and small, card players and everything. All having fun and being friendly. I think I’ll be back! It’s more an 11.30 than a 00.30 last orders bar but that’s no harm every once in a while. Gets you out of bed earlier on a Sunday morning. Oh, and the food (in the rear part of the bar) smelt amazing. Had a peek at the menu and it definitely looked worth returning for!
See you there!
c*

The Canton Arms proves my London maxim that once you’re about 10 minutes’ walk, and between neighbourhoods, London just gets better and more interesting.
Stuck in the not-​quite-​Stockwell, still on the edge of the estates, not quite up to Vauxhall yet south Lambeth road is this gem of a pub.
Gorgeous inside. Wood panelling and leaded glass windows across the front with a garden out front. Very decent and reasonably priced food, and four ales, all rotating. Last night it was a diverse & lovely selection, though perhaps (and this is a bit of a niggle) let down by the fact that all four ales were of the medium strength hoppy/​bitter variety. Grand, but a bit more variety would be good.
The food is really rather nice. You cannot book tables, so you’ll need to book ahead. It’s good and seasonal and (I expect) local without crowing about it.
The one real problem with the place is the door which is on a (way too) slow closing mechanism — cold air pours into the place everytime someone pops in or out.
Other than that… a fine place.

Really love the place, looks so cosy and warm inside. Service is professional, fast. Staff are welcoming, polite and kind. The menu is nicely organized, there is a big selection of drink and dishes which are reasonable priced. In overall I can say that this place is a nice one to spend some time with friends with a beer in hand.

This is a classic London pub, that is still a pub (and not a bar). Wooden panelled walls, bar stalls and good beer selection makes this a locals favourite (it is in fact my local). But come the weekends more and more people are travelling to this great drinkers pub. But its not all beer and wine, the food is excellent and has the feel of a country gastro pub with lots of game on offer.
If I had to be picky, and I will, the hot bar snacks are restricted to toasties. Good, but a pub with no chips is a problem for me. The other issue is that it doesn’t have a late licence, so if you are putting the world right, do so before 12.

Our second time here. It was surprisingly less busy this time around. We shared a starter (squid) which was tasty, and had pigeon and cod with beetroot for mains. Food was good but portions could be slightly bigger for the price (approx £13−15 for mains) and location. Good service.

I love this place so much I had my birthday dinner here twice (back to back years) — it didn’t hurt that it was my local at the time as well.
I love love this place and I honestly am not even bias (cause it was my local and all). The food is always good when I eat here and he staff always friendly and helpful. It’s can be an ‘old man’s’ pub in the day time but come evening it is a watering hole for the young local crowd and those in the know. (Seriously unless you live in the area or knows someone who does, you’re unlikely to come past it).
Beer, wine, ales for all and a few small cocktails as well. Menu changes often and they do amazing specials to share from 2 ppl (steak pie) to 5/​6ppl (slow roast lamb with potatoes). Prices for me was very reasonable as well. Good to note though, that they don’t take bookings even for large parties but you could always have a drink in the pub while you wait.
Now that I’ve moved I miss the place — will have to return for dinner sometime maybe my birthday again this year.

Lovely looking pub. Great selection of Ales and the bar snack toasties are tasty and cheap. Dinner was also delicious, the highlight being the crème fraîche tart.

We don’t have an amazing selection of pubs in my neighbourhood; for ages it was either The Fentiman Arms, which is perfectly nice but a bit too Rah for the area or a plethora of seedy old men’s boozers.
So when the Canton Arms reopened, I was pleased.
And when I had dinner there, I became very pleased indeed.
The food is cracking gastro pub fare; a short, seasonal menu that changes on a daily basis and features lots of hearty British food 7 hour salt marsh lamb being my favourite dish to date
Staff are not only efficient but genuinely enthusiastic about what they are doing; wait staff have always happily and confidently answered any questions we’ve had about the food, its preparation, provenance, anything.
Highly recommended.

This really is as good as it gets. A pub that’s still a pub (the front part of the pub is just for drinkers and the back for dining) and you can’t book a table — which I kind of like for some reason. Just the fact that they’re not pretending to be a restaurant I guess. Plently of lovely ales and drinks on offer — the prosecco served with a splash of their lovely homemade gin was a nice touch and the food is amazing.
The chef is formerly of The Eagle, Farringdon and Hope and Anchor, Waterloo. If you’ve been to either of those you’ll know what to expect. A simple enough menu, with wonderful ingredients, all cooked with real passion. I had Ox Cheek stew with herb dumplings last week — sublime. Seriously autumnal hibernation food. The dishes are so filling that even without a starter I didn’t make it to pudding. Main dishes are around £10-£13, which makes for a good value lunch.
If you don’t fancy a main try one of the amazing toasties on offer. Me and the Foie Gras toastie, are at the start of what promises to be a deeply meaningful relationship…

The Canton Arms is the Manchester United of pubs in South London. So easy to love and yet so easy to hate.
Why should you love the Canton Arms?
— Excellent service at the bar and in dining area. I remember eating in the restaurant for the first time and being completely taken aback by the attentive, warm service. By the end of the night we were practically best pals with out waiter.
— Great real ale rotation. The take their ale seriously in here and there are always interesting and daring new beers on the pumps as well as favourites like Timothy Taylor and Summer Lightening.
— Toasties. I never thought i could get this excited about something made in a brevelle, but the Canton toasted sandwiches are exceptional in every way. Cheese & Chutney or Cheese & Beans for a light snack or the Fois Gras if you’re feeling particularly decadent.
— Great location and excellent setup at the front of the pub. Plenty of big tables and a great place to watch the world go by.
Why should you hate the Canton Arms?
One word — Snobbery. While the food is fantastic, there are pungent wafts of snobbery pouring out of the kitchen area. I don’t know whether it’s the chef or the management, but there are some fatal flaws in the Canton operation. Let me give you an example:
Last night, i met some friends here for dinner. It was a warm night and we managed to bag ourselves a table outside. As the evening went on and the ales were sunk, we grew peckish and decided to order some food. Upon placing our order we were told that we had to eat in the dining area and couldn’t eat outside (even though others were). Despite protestations from us (and others) the chef refused to serve us outside but said that he would serve us in the dining room (5 metres away). The reason was odd and flimsy and had something to do with new staff and consistency of service. Hmmmm. This all seemed a bit odd and it reeked of gastro snobbery and a «my way or the high way» attitude from the chef. I’m really not surprised to see the comments below from others not being able to get steaks cooked to their liking and menus which may as well be in Hebrew.
My message to the landlord — This is a problem and it’s holding the pub back from greatness. My advice would be keep 99% of what you are doing the same. You’ve created a near perfect pub here but some of your most loyal customers (and i’m one of them) are beginning to question whether to continue calling this «the local». Be flexible, listen to your customers and don’t be afraid to adapt (in other words — let your customers eat outside if they want to, give them a medium well steak if that’s how they would like it cooked etc). This pub has gone from strength to strength in the last 6 months and, i’m sure, with a little bit of a nip & a tuck this summer, that trajectory will continue on the up.

Top notch local pub serving good ale and food with a great atmosphere and a friendly crowd.
Sagres and amstel on tap for the larger lovers is not a bad choice. Exmoor ale and summer lightning amongst others on the hand pump tonight — well kept and keenly priced.
Nice eating area out back with a proper pub at the front.
Try the haggis or foie gras toastie!
⁹⁄₁₀ Worth a trip to Stockwell to check it out.

This pub has new owners that has turned this run down pub into a high end gastro pub.
The food is excellent with a large range of dishes, and wine, and the deserts are old favourites that your mom would make when your a kid.
It is really busy but you can’t book a table so arrive early, or expect a long wait.