The Old Nuns Head

If it were only the drinks and nothing else at the Old Nun’s Head we’d have still been happy with our visit to this classy neighbourhood pub. Fortunately, there’s a whole lot more than that. However, for those not living in the immediate vicinity – so the likes of New Cross, Peckham or Dulwich - it’s quite a journey down to Nunhead although given the weekend sees resident DJs play anything from disco to Northern Soul and a food lineup that includes a residence from the famous Burger Bear, we’d say it’s well worth while making the trip this far south.

Spacious but homely, there’s more than enough room for the pub to host live music and stand-up comedy across its two floors. Throw in the quiz and Monday night’s £3 ale offer and the list of reasons to visit is hard to ignore. We only went yesterday and we’ve already told three people to get down to Nunhead Green – three people!

The contemporary touches of mismatched furniture; deep sofas and occasional graphic art elements complement the traditional pub look that still shines through. We had the impression that the place might be a little too hip for comfort but no such issues. Friendly and relaxed, the clientele was made up of a mix of young parents, couples and lad groups adding to a lively atmosphere.

Food residencies rotate so depending on the night you visit you might find ‘I Should be Souvlkai’, ‘Tem Ban’ or the aforementioned Burger Bear. We scored with a Burger Bear on the night. For those who don’t already know about the likes of the Greedy Bear (double patty, double bacon) or the Angry Bear (Holy Fuck Sauce, Bacon Jam) you need to head South and get to know. Dirty, messy, glistening, juicy domes of perfection.

Behind the bar you’ll find a refined cask ale selection joined by a decent range of local craft IPA (we drink the session Chieftain) and lagers along with a carefully curated wine list. As if everything you’ve just read wasn’t enough to make you like the thought of the Old Nun’s Head as much we liked our actual visit to the pub, it has an open fire, the cherry on the top.