The King & Queen, Caterham on the Hill — Restaurant in Tandridge

Everyone I meet seems to say this is the best pub in Caterham and, given the competition, it’s difficult to disagree. It has a charm which the others lack. I’ve always found it slightly awkward but perhaps that’s its charm.

The main bar faces the High Street and the area in front of it is strangely narrow. So if the pub’s really busy it can be difficult to get served.

However the bulk of the drinking area is behind the bar: a cosy area by the fireplace, an odd central area where everyone seems to sit in a row and then a fairly large hall-like room with dartboards. I guess the latter serves as a Public Bar. Finally there’s a step or two down to more tables right at the back near the door leading to an outside gazebo and the car park.

The areas behind the bar are served by two quite small hatches, so the bar staff have to maintain good peripheral vision to ensure they keep the whole pub happy. I’ve always found not being able to see the handpumps a bit of pain in the backside TBH (there is a sign now).

I has traditional décor for traditional pubs. Old oil paintings of generic kings and generic queens, royal family trees and loads and loads of Fuller Smith & Turner breweriana.

The pub is a archetypical old style Fullers house, reminding of the days when Youngs had all the large hotel-like roadside inns and Fullers had the cozy backstreet locals. They always have three or four Fullers ales on and one guest (frequently from “Gales” which is of course just Fullers who bought up Gales in 2005 and bulldozed the brewery in 2006. Shocking.

Anyway, it the favoured pub of the older Caterham drinking set and rarely seems to...

I really like this pub - it feels like everything a good pub should be. It's frontage belies what is behind. It has a tiny bar area with a couple of fruit machines - but a decent range of beers. I am not one for craft beers so London Pride, Adnams etc are very welcome. Following through from main bar the pub opens out into a larger space like an old barn and has a big open fire. There is also a large games room and a smaller room to the rear. This pub has a fab atmosphere. There is nothing trendy, or pretentious about it. Expect good beer, good pub grub - homemade, good quality pies etc and a warm welcome. It attracts a crowd with the same qualities. For me a jewel in Caterham...

I love this pub, it’s everything I want a pub to be. It’s a Fullers pub so has decent beer and often with one or two guest beers. It dates back to the mid-1800s and is staffed by people who understand beer and bars. Some live music on the weekends but there is a full itinerary of events listed in the bar itself. Always a warm welcome with a variety of seating areas and a small free carpark at the back. My only criticism is a lack of pork scratchings but that won’t hurt my waistline or...