The Greyhound - Peckham — Restaurant in London

I had long heard commendable things about the culinary offerings at The Greyhound Pub in Peckham, particularly the endeavors of head chef Nathaniel Mortely, whose journey through the culinary landscape is as compelling as it is inspiring. This venue, traditionally overlooked by me due to its grim facade perched awkwardly on an urban corner of Peckham High Street, became the unexpected choice for a belated birthday celebration, courtesy of my thoughtful friends.

Upon entering, I was welcomed by a warmth that belied the exterior. The service was impeccable—attentive waitstaff who seemed genuinely invested in ensuring our experience was nothing short of exceptional. Their politeness and eagerness to accommodate us truly set a positive tone for the evening.

We opted for a selection of small plates to start our culinary journey, each of us eager to sample the diverse offerings. However, disappointment struck swiftly when we learned that the much-anticipated Ackee and Saltfish spring rolls, along with the chicken-stuffed croquettes, were unavailable by 7:10 PM—an unexpected setback as we had only one of our three requested items.

I was intrigued to order the rather massive turkey wing, which boasted an impressive crispness to the skin. Yet, in all honesty, the seasoning left much to be desired, rendering what could have been a stellar dish rather lackluster. A friend indulged in the plantain bhaji, only to express that it leaned more toward a bhaji-centric flavor than one that celebrated the plantain.

For my main course, I chose the sirloin steak, a decision I do not regret. The presentation was enticing and every bite indeed melted spectacularly in my mouth, a testament to the quality of the cut. Paired with fries and a side of oxtail jus, it bore an undeniable tenderness that required no intervention from a steak knife. However, the dish fell short of achieving a more elevated flavor profile; something more nuanced could have truly transformed the experience from remarkable to unforgettable.

The evening took another unfortunate turn when I learned that the red velvet cheesecake—a dessert I had been eagerly anticipating as a birthday treat—was also unavailable. This compounded my feeling that perhaps the establishment was not operating at its full stride that evening.

While I can't speak for my friends, I found myself yearning for a more robust flavor profile throughout the meal. Nonetheless, I genuinely appreciated the efforts that had gone into our dining experience. Yet, as the evening concluded, I felt compelled to approach Chef Mortely to convey my gratitude, only to encounter an unexpectedly aloof response. He waved off my compliment with an air of indifference that seemed incongruent with the spirit of hospitality I had received from his diligent team. It's hard to reconcile such behavior, particularly given the success one might achieve—humility should always accompany accomplishment.

Fortunately, another member of the kitchen received my compliments graciously, which I was pleased by as I understand that there is a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes in a restaurant setting. I recognize that pleasing everyone is a formidable challenge, and the dedication of the staff did not go unnoticed.

I don’t know whether Mortely felt I was attempting to flirt with him as to why I received such a reception but I can confirm not in the slightest as I am a Lesbian.

In summary, while my experience at The Greyhound Pub was punctuated by high hopes and some disappointments, I remain optimistic about the potential for this establishment to further enhance its culinary offerings. With a few tweaks, particularly to seasoning and overall flavor balance, I believe it could ascend to greater heights—delivering a dining experience worthy of its...

Beyond shocking experience here today - not sure what was worse, the food or the service. My best mate booked a party of 22 people here for her birthday today - completely ruined by the horror show described below.

Their version of a roast dinner included slapping a 2 piece chicken - that look liked it came from Morleys - onto a bed of undercooked cabbage and carrots, roast potatoes so dry and unseasoned that they put Nigel Farage to shame, and they replaced the yorkshire pudding with a slice of toast..No communication from the staff that the food we would be receiving was so far off what was described on the menu.

Both the wine and the staff were sour. We were greeted with a severe attitude problem at every interaction - there was no apology, care or the ability to communicate after the mess that unfolded. We asked where the manager was and we were told they didn’t have one.

Everyone at the table has worked or still does work in service, which is further why we are all truly speechless - as this whole situation could’ve been easily avoided or handled better. No one asked you to accept the 22 person booking if you couldn’t accommodate it. Letting us know in advance that there was no seasonal veg, Yorkshire puddings, roast chicken or if I’m honest - edible food - wouldn’t have gone amiss. An apology or some compassion would’ve been nice, as this situation cast a massive cloud over my friend’s birthday.

The only saving grace is that they kindly offered us a refund on the food, and it was mildly entertaining watching the waiter keep a straight face whilst serving us a roast dinner with a slice of toast on it. It goes without saying that we...

Avoid. I wanted to give this place another chance after several bad experiences in previous incarnations. Came for just one quiet pint before going home, minding my own business but after being sat down for a few minutes I was told I'm "not allowed" to sit at the very small high table (with bar stools for 1 or 2 ppl) that I'd chosen, apparently as it's a "dining table" even though I couldn't order food. Staff were extremely rude when I'd just bought a pint for £7, nobody else wanted to sit there, and there were no alternative seats in the entire pub. Food kept coming out to other tables for at least 25 mins, but apparently I wasn't able to order any myself. Asked if I could buy some of the spare food that was sitting under the heater but was informed that I'm not allowed to purchase that either (it's "available on Monday" the younger staff member shouted at me, bizarrely). This place used to be great when they had the "up in my grill" pop up about 2 years ago, which served extremely delicious meaty dishes, but it appears to have gone massively downhill with every single change of hands recently. This is a crying shame as it's a great building, they just keep messing it up time and again. The food options seem to change every time we go in there, which isn't a good sign. Last time we tried was in the summer when I was served a "hotdog" for £13.50 which was an absolute rip off, one tiny chipolata in minusucule bread roll, and bits of sauce in a sort of "arty" pattern around the rest of the plate, presumably to try and distract from there being barely any food there. Hope this closes down again soon and decent...