The Antelope — Restaurant in London

UPDATED as of 09/05/2021: What a disappointment. Since pubs opened their doors for outdoor dining, they stopped the delivery. We tried to book a table but they are fully booked for weeks which is good for them. We fancied a roast dinner today so we ordered a click and collect this time. Big mistake. I am really sad to say they dropped their standard hugely. Is it because they are not desperate anymore? Who knows. Please see my last photo which is what I got from them today. The Yorkshire puddings were in the same container unlike all the other times before hence they were soggy. The gravy is so thin and watery. They didn't provide their horse radish sauce and the cheesy cauliflower was not there. We had their roast dinner so many times and they were constantly fantastic, same standard every time. We really wanted to have a table to eat in or outside at the pub but not anymore. Really sad to experience this from a local place.

The first review in the beginning of March 2021: During lockdown, we had quite a few deliveries from the Antelope and they never failed to impress. We usually had burgers and ribs that are delicious and we were pleasantly surprised that they were still so good when delivered. Recently, we had Sunday roasts twice which we never thought we would get delivered. We regretted so much that we hadn't had this earlier - it took nearly a year to discover but better late than never! If you are local enough, do check with them if they can deliver and order directly on their own website. You may get a better deal plus some dishes are not...

Under new owners this place has changed so much for the better. I was no regular under the previous landlord, it seemed quite a rugby pub and well, nothing special to draw me in. The new owners though have turned this into something pretty special. Ok.. it's a hipster pub, but that's lovely! So, out went the TVs... this is now a pub about quality beer, not for watching sport (I go to the Victoria for my football watching) and the owners have a HUGE range of ales available, sporting local brews and are even planning on making their own out back; this is a place for those who love beer. Also... cider, lots of local and special ciders here and it's a treat to have a sample or two from the tap and then indulge in a local tipple. There's no coffee here; the owners want this to be about the beer and cider, not one of the many gastropubs where people might pop in for a coffee and WiFi (though they do have WiFi)! The food is excellent, I've been in a few times for the Sunday roast and it's wonderful. Service is wonderful and polite, friendly nice helpful people behind the bar. The decor is warm, woody and cosy and when it's warm enough they've made the patio garden out back somewhere truly special (lovely hanging lights and ample bike parking) Books to borrow, board games too... a great retreat...

Some people move to areas because of the schools or the commute. I moved to Surbiton because I fell in love with a pub. The Antelope is the birthplace of the now huge but still independent Big Smoke Brewery. The old brewery in the garden moved out to Esher to meet capacity demands and has since transformed into a ‘Brewhouse Restaurant’, a more refined, quieter atmosphere than the front venue. This has the welcome side-effect of allowing the inside of The Antelope to continue to be itself. Out of all their sites – which include near Heathrow and Luton airports – this is probably the most pub-like: not the polished, brightly-lit newer spaces you see Big Smoke opening now, but cosy and dark, with an eclectic vinyl selection that soundtracks your drinking and a roaring fire in the winter.

The main draw is still the beer: the walls and ceilings are decked out with hundreds of pump clips from the ever-changing 10 real ales and 14 keg beers they have had on. It’s a pub that remains consistently busy in the evenings and, despite its suburban location, a steady flow of customers dip in and out all day. And while the beer selection alone will always keep me coming back, the hospitality of the team that work here, past and present, cannot be overstated. A total package. My favourite...