Harden's survey result
Summary
“Peerless pub food” has won renown for this acclaimed gastropub near Vauxhall, which can hold its head up high in comparison to its more famous sibling, the Anchor & Hope in Waterloo – but where it is marginally easier to get a table. “Relatively simple but very imaginative” British dishes are “expertly cooked, on a tasty and regularly changing menu”, and it’s “still a proper pub too”. (“If this place was on my doorstep, I’d be there all the time… it is and I am!”)
Summary
This “gastropub of real standing” (est. 2010) a short walk from Vauxhall is just the place to “get your laughing gear on some excellent modern British fare”. “It looks like a pub” and is a “proper South London boozer at the front, where you can have a quiet pint”, but “you don’t judge the book by the cover” – in the back is a “well thought-through carnivore’s paradise” (“go hungry for big plates of usually rich food”), with a “good selection of wines by the glass”. “Booking is obligatory”, although not quite as difficult as its more famous stablemate the Anchor & Hope, close to Waterloo and the South Bank. Top Menu Tip – “offaly tasty options not easily found elsewhere”.
Summary
This “top-notch local boozer” in Stockwell offers arguably the “best pub food in South London” – “simple and hearty fare, but always served with verve and understanding” by on-the-ball service. Its slightly remoter address and a lack of theatres nearby means it is slightly less busy than its famous foodie stablemate, the Anchor & Hope in Waterloo.
Summary
“Simply the best food you’ll find in a proper boozer” – this sibling to SE1’s Anchor & Hope narrowly beats its relation these days in votes as London’s top gastropub (and is a respectable No. 2 on the list). “This isn’t a restaurant masquerading as a pub, but the real thing, with atmosphere to match and a great selection of proper beers”. “Decent, hearty gastropub fare with a European accent” is served from a “seasonal menu” delivering “big flavours”; and there’s also “an interesting wine list, where natural wines are highlighted to avoid surprises”. “If the service is a bit idiosyncratic, that’s all part of the fun”.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Canton Arms?
177 South Lambeth Rd, London, SW8 1XP
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £50.00 | £58.00 |  |
|
 |
Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £4.00 | £18.30 | £5.00 | £9.80 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £28.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.50 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
177 South Lambeth Rd, London, SW8 1XP
Opening hours
| Monday | 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Friday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 11 am‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
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