If you’ve ever found yourself in a pub in London – everyone, then – it’s pretty likely you’ve been in a Young’s. The brewery’s original site in Wandsworth claims to be the oldest in Britain – prior to its 2006 closure that is – and now Young’s boasts nearly 220 outposts in its portfolio.
Owing to the current rate of independent pub closures, the vitriol directed at larger operations deemed to be causing it, and 2017’s love of anything artisan and ‘craft’, most people scoff at big pub and food corporations which tend to have identikit interiors and completely lack atmosphere.
However, Young’s is different from your average group of big shiny chains whose sole purpose is to make money. Unlike many, they have their roots firmly in the industry, and in the words of Girls Aloud – have got a whole lotta history – nearly 200 years of it in fact. To put that into perspective, since the company was founded in 1831 there have been seven different monarchs, 48 different Prime Ministers and two world wars . Now known as Young’s Original Bitter, they started the home-brewed PA trend all the way back in 1864 (a major innovation within the sector).
In Putney, not far from where it all began, is The Spotted Horse. We’re told it’s often shortened to SpoHo, but that sounds like a derogatory rap term so we’ll give it a swerve. It’s one of the group’s oldest pubs, and with a freshening up of the decor and streamlining of the menu just complete, it’s well worth checking out.
IDEA
The recent refurb aims toward the ‘botanical’, an intriguing goal when considering the pub’s cavernous qualities and historically old-school feel. The botanics, it transpires, are very much in keeping with the Spotted Horse’s dedicated G&T bar, the Juniper Terrace. The menu has been modernised too – stripped back – and given a few flourishes designed to distance itself from cloying, heavy ‘pub grub’. Largely, it’s worked.
LOCATION
A 5 minute walk from Putney Station, and bang in the middle of Putney high street, The Spotted Horse is impossible to miss. Whilst some may perceive the area to be out of the way, it’s only ten minutes from Clapham Junction and trains function with regularity.
ATMOSPHERE
The Spotted Horse has kept its old facade, but rejigged nearly everything else. Ubiquitous exposed brickwork and filament lightbulbs are all present and correct, but they’re offset by much flora and floating shrubbery baskets – an interesting juxtaposition and a more unique touch. This synergetic theme is echoed in the soft furnishings of opulent velvet and a verdant palette of moss green, pine and sage. There is still a fireplace, and booths are comfy and spacious; it’s pleasing to see the refurb wasn’t all style over substance and that a pub’s traditional warmth and welcome is still on the agenda. On some nights they also have live music, just like a good pub should.
What is very new indeed is The Juniper Terrace, a welcome outdoor space that is often lacking in the capital; designed to evoke summer all year round with tropical prints and light cocktails. More on those later.
FOOD
For now, the food. The ‘all-day’ (there is also brunch, 7 days a week) menu is relatively concise and focused – a good thing when you consider the sprawling, globe trotting menus of some ‘chain’ pubs. There’s 7 light and 8 bigger bites – that’s starters and mains to you and I – and 6 desserts. A selection of sides is included on the menu too, though the necessity isn’t really there; most mains come with a pairing of suitable veg.
We start with a generous portion of smoked mackerel pate and rabbit croquettes with burnt corn jam. The pate is smooth and lush, not overly smokey but a tad on the salty side – and we love salt. Rabbit croquettes are crisp and moreish, though whether it’s discernibly rabbit I’m not so sure. Regardless the burnt corn jam pairs well.
For mains, it’s the menu-omnipresent of spiced (curry powder) cauliflower steak, sitting comfortably among familiar companions pomegranate and yoghurt. It has bite, a couple more minutes under the grill would’ve softened the edges and given more of that charred effect which so benefits this brassica, but the flavours all marry harmoniously. We also try the Angus steak, chips and bearnaise; a pub classic which always delivers. It’s almost gone past the requested medium rare, but it’s still good.
DRINK
Young’s award-winning casks rub shoulders with hipster favourites Fourpure Flatiron American Red, Founders IP and Camden Pale on draught – it’s London and the drinking crowd young; of course there’s Camden Pale. The wine list is of decent length but most interesting is the attention to – scrap that, obsession with – gin here. The Little Bird with Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic garnished with a slice of grapefruit, which the affable bar manager steered us towards, was bloody marvellous, and impossible to only have one of. The prospect of enjoying some of these on The Juniper Terrace in the summer is reason enough to return.
MUST TRY
Whilst a few teething problems on the new menu – always the way after a refurb – are getting ironed out, we can’t recommend the gin selection highly enough, particularly the grapefruit with Mediterranean tonic. It’s as good a gin as we’ve had anywhere recently, and that’s some compliment – IDEAL is in constant pursuit of a good gin.
WHY GO
If you frequent Putney regularly, you’ve probably walked past this pub a million times and dismissed it. Don’t. The Spotted Horse’s new identity is an attempt to move away from the stuffy, stale high street boozers all too familiar to any Brit who likes a drink and lives in a city.
The botanical theme has lent the interior an airy quality, light on its feet and touch but still warm and welcoming, all of which sets the scene for some indulgence in the excellent booze and conversation in a relaxed environment. The food needs a little time to become more self assured and steady on its feet, but that moment doesn’t feel far away. For now, we can’t wait to revisit, to get amongst it on the rooftop bar, with that delicious gin.
Website: www.spottedhorse.co.uk
Address: 122 Putney High St, London SW15 1RG
Disclosure: IDEAL Magazine dined as a guest of the restaurant.