A highly regarded gastropub situated in South London, recognized as a 'legend' and the 'south London champ' in Time Out's prestigious list of the best UK gastropubs for 2026. It is celebrated for embodying the ideal gastropub experience, blending a traditional pub atmosphere with high-quality restaurant cuisine.
The Camberwell Arms is a local, independent pub and restaurant in London, celebrated for its hearty, seasonally focused British cuisine with a classic heart and innovative twists. It offers a cozy, inviting, and unpretentious atmosphere, making it suitable for both quiet dinners and larger gatherings. The restaurant is particularly renowned for its Sunday roasts and also provides private dining and off-site catering services.
Customer Perception
Customers generally praise The Camberwell Arms for its excellent, flavourful, and generous food, especially the Sunday roasts, which are often described as a refreshingly original take on a classic. The ambiance is noted as cozy, inviting, and unpretentious, with attentive and relaxed staff. While some find the main courses pricey, many feel they offer good value. A few negative reviews mention slow service, confused staff, and occasionally cold or flavourless food, but overall, it is considered a reliable neighbourhood favourite for quality dining.
Additional Details
The Camberwell Arms also offers off-site catering services through 'Events by Camberwell Arms', providing their acclaimed food for various occasions.
Gluten-free options (staff are knowledgeable and can accommodate)Vegetarian options (e.g., broccoli 'cacio e Pepe')Vegan options (likely available upon request given other accommodations)
Best Times to Visit
Sunday lunch is a highly popular time, often requiring advance booking due to its reputation. The restaurant is open for lunch, dinner, drinks, and snacks throughout the week. A £20 set menu is available for lunch from Tuesday to Friday.
One of the best meals I’ve had. The service was standout - the food was just as good. We had the monkfish, beef tartare, and crab risotto and everything was incredible. Wine list was extensive and had a good range. My partner also has a peanut and pine nut allergy and they were very accommodation. Will definitely be back! Also - we sat on the counter because of recommendations to watch the chefs cook and for two people it was very cute for a date night but also a good experience to watch them work.
Enjoyed my birthday dinner here and had a lovely time.
The scotch bonnet pork fat on toast was so good, I just wish I could’ve had 10 of them.
The broccoli “cacio e Pepe” with toasted buckwheat was good and did remind me of eating a cream pasta. The sauce was great to eat with bread too!
The fish, which I now can’t remember what it was, was so delicate, zesty and delicious. The mash was creamy and smooth and the combination of everything on the plate was perfect.
They kindly gave me a birthday surprise of rhubarb spritz sorbet ice cream
5
This a double review. One for the restaurant in general, which is reliably one of the best restaurants south of the river. The menu is always innovative and fresh but with classic cuisine at it’s heart. The staples that are always there like beer onions on toast, their incredible focaccia and their legendary Sunday roasts are always a 10/10.
The second half of the review is for Camberwell Arms’ catering of our wedding reception. Throughout the engagement Matilde was very easy to contact and thorough with the process of helping us select the menu and plan the day. After much back and forth customising the menu, at our tasting we were made to feel right at home and finished off with a further session with the chef to add any other bespoke elements to the dishes that had been prepared. This included a last minute request for a spare rib based canapé which was fulfilled and was the star of the pre dinner reception!
The food for 75 people which included their famous porchetta and a show stopping Paris Brest was served on the day with no hiccups whatsoever.
The night was finished with their sfincione which was also a hit and was completely hoovered up by the guests.
I can’t recommend Camberwell arms highly enough - whether it’s for a wedding, an evening dinner with friends or a Sunday roast.
1
I’m confused by all the good reviews and highly disappointed by the roast we had last Sunday. My friends and I arrived and were standing around for about 10 minutes without being greeted and without acknowledgment. We then told an employee we had a booking which took staff a while to figure out where we were sat. The decor is bleak and service slow. Waiting staff seemed confused, forgetting parts of our orders and brining the wrong cutlery or missing cutlery like steak knives for our meal. The food was cold, and I assume would’ve tasted better if hot but still seemed quite flavourless. My friends and I are all disappointing to have paid for the meal even though we had asked for the service charge to be taken off it still felt like daylight robbery. Would not recommend or go back for even just a pint tbh. Broccoli was basically just a thick stalk with tiny florets on it. Bloody Mary was super average. It’s a shame because we heard good things about this roast and were all so excited for it…
4
The Camberwell Arms is one of the most reliable pubs for excellent food and warm service in south London. The menu is generous and seasonal, with dishes that feel both comforting and refined. The dining room has an easy, unpretentious charm, and the staff strike the right balance between attentive and relaxed. It works just as well for a quiet dinner as it does for a larger gathering. Consistently delicious food and a welcoming atmosphere make it a standout neighbourhood favourite. Delicious sprouts, gotta love the crunch.
