A proper South London gastropub that doesn't try too hard to be trendy — and that's exactly why locals love it. The Three Stags serves up solid seasonal food, real ales, and a Sunday roast that draws the Kennington crowd week after week. The interior is packed with eclectic artwork that gives the place real character, and there's function space upstairs if you're planning a get-together.
Eclectic artwork, real ales, and a Sunday roast that keeps Kennington coming back — this is unpretentious South London pubbing at its best.
Arrive early on Sundays — the roast is the star of the menu and the place fills up fast, which can slow down service considerably.
Proper South London gastropub with a top-tier Sunday roast
The Three Stags is the kind of pub you stumble into and immediately feel at home. Tucked on Kennington Road just south of Waterloo, it's a traditional gastropub with real personality — the walls are covered in eclectic artwork that gives every corner something to look at, and the atmosphere is unpretentious in a way that's increasingly rare in this part of London. The bar stocks a solid range of real ales, and the staff actually know what they're pouring.
Food is the real draw here. The menu leans into seasonal British pub classics done properly — think hearty pies, burgers, and fish dishes — but it's the Sunday roast that keeps the regulars coming back. Reviews consistently praise the quality of the roasts, with generous portions and properly crispy potatoes. It's not fine dining, and it doesn't pretend to be; it's just good, honest pub food that hits the spot.
The pub also hosts quiz nights and has function space available for hire, which makes it a bit of a community hub for the Kennington and Waterloo crowd. With over 700 reviews on TripAdvisor averaging around 3.9, it's clearly doing something right. Service can be a touch slow when it's packed on a Sunday, so factor that in — but if you want a proper South London pub experience without the attitude, this is your spot.