The Antelope

We decided today to stop giving business to The Antelope. Too bad as it was our #2 pub to go for a Sunday roast (after Hawksmoor) for its vibe and the fairly good food and prices.

As Canadians being away from home on Christmas this year, we made a reservation at The Antelope on their website for the 24th of December. We wanted a warm setting and festive food to forget that we won't have a big family dinner this year. The menu displayed on their website sounded great.

We came all the way from Brixton to the pub to find the dining area empty. We had to go see a staff member, who introduced himself as the manager, to ask him if we can be seated in the dining area. The manager told us that they didn't serve food anymore for the day. I explained that I made a reservation almost two weeks before to make sure we'd have a place to eat on Christmas eve, and he told us it's unlikely. I had to show him the confirmation email as a proof.

The manager said: "well sorry guys, this is strange, as we don't serve food tonight." He didn't seem sorry about the fact that we were now stuck in Tooting on Christmas eve with no time to find a plan B, and didn't offer us anything to compensate for their mistake.

I have trouble to understand why a pub would do a Christmas menu if it's not serving food on Christmas eve, why it's not advertised that they close the kitchen, and why is it possible to book (and receive a confirmation) when the kitchen is closed. And I'm highly disappointed in the way the manager managed this issue.

We missed Christmas magic tonight :(

My hockey club held its annual dinner at the function room at The Antelope

Accessed by a separate entrance from the side road, the function room is upstairs with its own bar and toilets (unisex but thankfully with separate cublcles!)

The management were very helpful in setting things up with our hockey committee and the food buffet was good value at £15 per head, giving an international variety of lamb curry, fishcakes and garlic bread amongst others.

It was also appreciated that a member of management was visibly present throughout the evening to help iron out any problems that could arise. The bar staff were also friendly and efficient

The room was the prefect size for our guest list of 50 and a good evening was had by all

The club were suitably impressed enough to want to book up for next year's dinner already

If you're in Tooting and want a drink there is only one place to go, The Tram. When the Tram is full (one in, one out as it so often is past 9pm) walk a little further down the road to it's big sister The Antelope. Older, wiser, sexier in a "mature" way you won't be disappointed. I think this is a five star pub but I'll need to go again, just to check and be sure, all in the made of Yelp of course.

It was late on a Saturday night when I wondered into the pub, walked right to the back and found a huge room with loads of tables and chairs and people all sat around happily chatting. There's a piano, a stuffed fox and a small heard of antelope skulls nailed to the walls. It's all winning with me! Add candle light and reasonably priced drinks and you've got yourself a new local Lizzie! Now I have heard that this is the place for a Sunday Roast so I shall have to head down there and try it out.

Really I don't know what I was doing before I moved to Tooting, I missed out on all of these gems.

A few hundred yards up from Tooting Broadway station this is a deceptively large pub. As you enter the doors you slam head first into the bar, making it feel like one of those compact and small pubs.
However round to the left you will find a huge open space with tables and TV's.
This pub has a nice blend of modern with tradition and serves a good range of drinks. By this I mean it has some fresh ales on tap.
Even with a fair few people in the pub service is still quick. The local customers are your trendy twenty to thirty somethings.
On my recommended list.

This pub is no more or less than what it presents itself as - a fairly poncy gastropub. If you like that sort of thing you'll like The Antelope.


As an evening pub, it's got a nice atmosphere, a nice decor and a huge screen for sports events, as well as a pool table. It's definitely got a community feel and as a Tooting local it always ends up high on the list of likely haunts. The drinks are little above average, but there's a very good selection including Passoa passionfruit liqueur which a favourite of mine but is hard to find in most standard pubs! ;-)


The food is high end and pretentious, which isn't really my thing (I prefer good value) but is very tasty (in that posh banquet-fare gourmet way which is terribly unhealthy and kind of the reason you feel Henry VIII ended up so fat), so I won't criticise the artistry of the cooking.


It also sports a selection of board games which always makes me happy. It also hosts pub quizzes, comedy and occasional theme nights.


All in all it's large, comfortable, attractive and friendly, and if you don't mind paying a little extra for the higher end food and drink.

I do visit this pub often as it's very local to where I work. The value is great with a pint of Guinness at around £4, not Wetherspoons prices but still decent! The shabby appearance of the pub and odd furniture can be off putting for some people but I find it rather quirky! They often have live events here in a separate room to the main bar area with a stage, including music and comedy. They also have a very pretty dining area, although I can't claim to have eaten anything other than chips here!
The garden area is my favourite. In the evenings they have lovely fairy lights up and provide blankets for cold weather. The only downside is that they don't have any heaters outside! Also sometimes the service at the bar can be slow during busy periods, or be prepared not to be served in turn. Other than that it's a really cute pub!

Man, suchhhhhhhhhhhhh good food. And I just got an appetizer and dessert! I got the gnudi, hazelnut, basil and parm app and OMGGGGGGGGG. Three large gnudi dough balls covered in a rich cheese sauce with basil sprigs. Soooooooo delicious! Then I went whole hog and got the chocolate terrine with pistachio sauce. The terrine was a rich, velvety chocolate. The cream, while having a smooth, velvety texture as well, could have had more pistachio flavour.

There is a chill beer garden in the back.

Just dinged one star for a lack of takeaway boxes.

Went to a friend's birthday here in the large room at the back (bring a heavy coat if it's winter!). The menu has no time listed on it, so lots of people were denied food as they didn't know they stopped serving.
Other than that, it's a nicer standard pub. Lots of room. Good for groups and kiddos (and I think dogs). Mulled cider was pretty good too!

Super delicious Sunday roast with friendly staff and a roaring atmosphere. Very baby friendly, and may I say, baby popular - never have I seen that many (well behaved) babies in a pub. But then I haven't been to a pub in Tooting before, either.

The friendly waitress seated us promptly as soon as she learnt that we were only three of us. The Sunday 2PM crowd looked fairly eager, albeit relaxed and this seemed like the place to be in, in Tooting, on a Sunday afternoon. The food arrived less than 10 minutes after the order was placed. Everything was near perfect, the lamb and chicken were cooked right, and butternut squash was finely roasted. The onions were delightfully caramelized and accessorised with vegetables.

The Antelope blasted my myth that Tooting is the capital of bad South Indian food. I'm going right back for more Sunday roast.

This pub is too vast to feel cosy but besides that is a good and convenient pub not far from Tooting Broadway station.. When I was there 3 good real ales were served with a smile.


If you want to watch the footballthere is a back room that shows it, although you wouldn't even know that it was on from the main bar (unless something happened to make everyone watching shout). This is perfect. Sport if you want it, but easily avoided if you do not. The décor is a bit mixed mind you. The room where the football was shown looked a lot like the posh dining room that lies between it and the main barbut on the steps inside the dining room is a small comfy chair and table that is more like what you would expect to see in a retirement flat. This theme is also found in the front bar with the unusual contrast between the wallpaper and a number of wall mounted plates (Gran's Kitchen!).


I was wondering about the name Antelopeas I don't think you see many round Tooting Broadway, but apparently this kind of pub name can refer to various dukes, kings or ships. So that clears that up then! Used to be called Jack Beards