Pratts & Payne

Pratts & Payne is a funny place not far from Streatham Station. The inside looks like it was decorated by someone raiding their dead grandmother's house, the disease that modern pubs seem to suffer.

There is a good selection of beers and the bar area is sufficiently large enough so that it doesn't get too crowded. They do a pub quiz on Wednesday night. There is a small beer garden outside which is good for the summer months,

Very nice place. I live in the area and sometimes I'm going there with friends. I'm a pudding addict and the chocolate brownie is amazing!!!

Went here on NYE and had the best night of my life. Really cool decor and and spacious bar area. There is also a beer garden in the back and a library of books lining the stairs to the bathrooms on the second floor. Good selection of beer, however I stuck to Blue Moon all night.

We decided to try the Sunday roast here because the reviews were good. I had to admit that the meat was honest, but the service was terrible (order and pay at the bar, then wait 30 minutes for the food in a quiet pub...). The veggies were too cooked, the pub was uncomfortably cold, and we waited half an hour for our pudding before asking the waiter what was going on. The waiter apologized and came back 2 minutes later with a cold pre made sticky-toffee pudding with barely no caramel sauce. We left the pub with a feeling of disapointment... :( Tons of better Sunday roasts to try in London for a better price, better food and better service. Too bad..

We recently moved to the area and for some unknown reason have left it too long to check out the local pubs. This is a good spot - unassuming from the outside but roomy on the inside with a mismatched vibe to the furniture and decor. Food was decent - not mind blowing but does the job. Prices aren't too bad and the staff are lovely.

If they re-shot The Great Gatsby in your local charity shop, you'd get something similar-looking to Pratts & Payne. Named after Streatham's old Pratts department store and the infamous Cynthia Payne, this vintage-style bistro is a little oddly placed amongst the kebab shops, laundrettes, nail bars and corner shops where they offer to unblock your SIM card and let you phone the other side of the world for three pence per minute. Still, it stands out and, though located at the bottom of Streatham High Road - closer to Streatham Station, rather than Streatham Hill - so a little bit fiddly to get to if you don't know the area all that well, it is definitely worth the trek.

The main bar sports a mish-mash of furniture all seemingly picked up from various places, whilst the dining area (where you're still allowed to just drink if the main bar is full: win!) has cute little alcoves, making it an ideal spot for small groups. Admittedly, I haven't had food there in a while. My last meal there was a chilli seafood linguine which they don't seem to do anymore. If, however, the rest of their menu is as delicious, there shouldn't be a problem. They have a beer garden, a wonderfully kitsch, shabby chic bathroom that makes you feel as if you've entered a doll's house, and a wide variety of music. Speaking of which, if you love vinyl, check out their Lucky 7's night every Thursday where you can bring in your own 7" records for the DJ to play. I still yet have to experience this for myself but, given my general opinion of the place, I assume it will make for a great night out. I have not a bad word to say about this hidden gem which, to top it all off, sells Frulli beer. What's not to love?

Tip: Stuck on somewhere to go for New Year's Eve? Pratts & Paynes is perfect: free entry, friendly atmosphere, not too crowded, post night-out kebabs a short walk away and, all importantly, everyone gets drunk and hugs each other. What more could you want?

Good food and range of beers, higgledy piggledy furniture, reasonably priced, with a decent sized beer garden.