The White Hart

See the large white deer that’s splashed across the front of the White Hart and you’ll know that you’ve arrived at one of Crystal Palace’s most welcoming pubs. With an ideal spot on the corner of the now famous Crystal Palace Triangle, the pub is a good spot, day or night.

Behind decorative leaded windows you’ll find a traditional pub with the usual comforting accoutrements: a match of checked tile and wooden floorboards, red leather banquets and mismatched vintage tables. It’s not reinventing the wheel but the cosy and comfortable interior is exactly the type of place you want to spend an afternoon digesting one of the pub’s excellent Sunday roasts. Aside from Sunday’s cooked meats, the likes of burgers, steak and fish and chips are the bedrocks of a pure pub grub menu. The line-up of beer isn’t spectacular if you’re after craft brewery offerings but you’ll certainly find a pale ale on the taps along with premium lagers and, in our opinion, some well-kept ales from the cask. If in doubt, opt for a Doom Bar.

Beyond the looks, the food and the drink, it’s the atmosphere that makes a pub, and on the night we visit we find The White Hart faultless. Despite lines five deep at the bar the staff were super-friendly and efficient, keeping the experience of waiting 15 minutes to be served just on the right side of bearable.

A live band are knocking out dubious covers throughout the evening and while you probably wouldn’t have booked them for your wedding, they definitely added a little rocker to the night. Of Crystal Palace’s many pubs, the White Hart might just be the one you’d want for your local.