The Jolly Gardeners Vauxhall

The Jolly Gardeners is a long-standing Victorian pub that was most recently a German-themed operation. In 2021, it was given a new lease of life when five childhood friends took over, transforming it into a modern gastropub, but without eliminating the traditional feel.

Inside, the large, spacious room is anchored by a standalone bar in the center, with a pub feel on one side, and then a slightly more formal dining area on the other. The space boasts plenty of natural light thanks to large windows, while it has held on to its heritage via Victorian marble fireplaces and smart, art-deco bathrooms. Out the front, seating wraps around the pub and there is also a cosy garden at the back complete with wooden benches.

While The Jolly Gardeners might be traditional in feel, it’s menu is anything but; this is still pub grub, but it’s the elevated, contemporary kind that Londoners have come to expect from trendy boozers. The menu changes regularly and consists of sharing small plates, followed by a few large ones you can keep to yourself. On our visit, we were most impressed by the lamb scrumpets - an adult take on chicken nuggets, which saw intensely flavoured meat rolled in breadcrumbs and served with an earthy black garlic dip. We also loved the crunchy, lightly spicy samphire and green onion bhaji, served alongside a refreshing mango chutney.

The large plates section (burgers, schnitzel and a veggie option) is perhaps a little less imaginative, but our burger was very good - a double beef patty topped with just the right amount of melted cheese and served with crisp, golden fries.

We skipped pudding but options include the likes of Eton mess, while those looking for post-prandial drinks can instead peruse The Jolly Gardeners ever-evolving wine list or range of local beers.

Plenty of London pubs harp on about being ‘neighbourhood’ operations, but with its charming backstory, friendly staff and better-than-expected menu, The Jolly Gardeners truly feels like a local gem - get down there before the secret is out.

The Jolly Gardeners is a neighbourhood gastropub in Vauxhall which serves a regularly changing menu of seasonal sharing plates, as well as local beers and an extensive wine list.

First opened in 1880, the Victorian boozer reportedly was favoured by the likes of Charlie Chaplin in its heyday and has been home to many concepts, including a German-themed operation. In 2021, The Jolly Gardeners was taken over by five childhood friends, who all had experience working in the hospitality industry but found themselves on furlough or being made redundant due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of sitting on their laurels, they used the opportunity to make their life-long dream of opening a pub together a reality.

The Jolly Gardeners is a large, spacious venue which features an original timber bar at the centre of the pub, with stools and high tables on one side and a formal dining area on the other. The restaurant’s menu of sharing plates changes weekly and focuses on seasonal, local ingredients where possible. Dishes you might find on your visit include the likes of Merguez sausage with harissa and mint yoghurt or grilled steak skewers with cassava and chimichurri. Vegetarians are not left out of the fun either and can opt for plates such as BBQ cauliflower wings with sesame aioli and spring onions or barbecued sweet potato with broad bean and corn succotash.

For dessert, you might find tempting sweet treats including a raspberry and sesame ‘Lambeth mess’ with meringues and vanilla cream or a chocolate and pistachio tart with salted caramel ice cream.

As for the drinks, The Jolly Gardeners is home to an extensive wine list, as well as local beers and house cocktails. On Sundays, head here for a classic roast, complete with all of the expected trimmings.