Sitting in the heart of Clapham Common and its bright lights, pop your head round the door of The Belle Vue to find an easy to please, fun night out that doesnt do complications.
Décor and Vibe
The Belle Vue has distinctive fairy lights that line the windows facing out to Clapham High Street and you would do well to miss it based purely on this eye catching display. It has a more of a restaurant feel from the outside but step inside and you will be greeted by a warm and welcoming gastro based pub. Wooden flooring and farm-like kitchen tables are dotted about with plenty of spaces for groups to book into the pub. You will find the ubiquitous lampshades and chandeliers that seem customary for any London pub and a well-stocked and served bar.
Clientele and Atmosphere
A Clapham pub with many faces. Flexible to your nightly needs, just like your best mate, The Belle Vue can be a bit everything over the course of the week. Mid-week it is full of catch up drinks and the odd couple on a first date, young professionals grabbing a late bite to eat and guys hanging out at the bar. An atmosphere to have a good chat at but still informal enough not to worry that you might get charged for service on your bill. Weekends the same faces appear but this time they come to party after a hard week at work, so expect a shoulder to shoulder crowd all merrily drinking and singing their way through their Friday and Saturday nights.
Food and Drink
Gastro fayre is the name of the game here, so expect your pub classics like Fish n Chips, a juicy burger, Sausage and Mash all priced at a happily affordable £8 a go as well an impressive blackboard with specials of the day. Bigger dishes are also available and the Venison stew was the winner of the day for our visit. A reasonably priced drinks list menu is available at The Belle Vue and some lovely local beers including Sam Brooks Brewery beers. The delightfully fresh Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch, SA was a snip at £18.
Music and Events
One of Claphams best pub quizzes is on offer every Monday so get your brain in gear for the quiz night from 7.30pm. Background music is served up throughout the week but then comes Fridays Live Music night with resident bands. Our visit saw the appearance of Redgrave, who are currently playing every week, and they are a superb acoustic duo, busting out crowd pleaser classics ranging from Journey to Mumford and Sons and boy does the Clapham crowd like it. Free to get in and a buzzing sing-a-long atmosphere make this a great night out in Clapham.
Summary
The Belle Vue in Clapham is a wonderful example of how to do a no-frills London pub but pack it with charm and reasonable prices. Just like a reliable friend, you always know you can fall back on them if all else fails and The Belle Vue does just that.
