Among London gastropubs, the past 12 months has seen The Knave of Clubs open in Shoreditch, The Prince Arthur in Belgravia, and The Hound in Chiswick. Now, south London is getting in on the action with the arrival of The Kerfield Arms in Camberwell. The newcomer comes courtesy of the team behind The Baring in Hoxton, which has climbed to number 17 on the Top 50 Gastropubs list since opening three years ago.
Wallpaper* dines at The Kerfield Arms, London
The mood: stylish simplicity
Owners Adam Symonds and Rob Tecwyn designed the look of The Kerfield themselves, to create, they say, ‘a very stripped-back pub aesthetic – we’re just trying to create a nice environment for people to sit in.’ By day, natural light floods the grand corner site, where wood-heavy interiors are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White. Come evening, art deco lanterns sourced from Cooling & Cooling illuminate the corners that candlelight can’t quite reach. A large bar area accommodates drinkers and walk-in diners, while a separate dining room caters for relaxed lunches and suppers.
The food: humble ingredients go haute
Symonds and Tecwyn have promoted Baring head chef Jay Styler to partner in the business, and he has repaid their trust with a menu of butch simplicity and an emphasis on provenance and seasonality: fried pig’s head with smoked eel and warm tartare sauce, followed by ricotta and nettle dumplings with broad beans and wild garlic buttermilk, and a 70 per cent Cru Virunga chocolate and olive oil mousse for afters. Sunday lunches of charcoal-grilled Vendée chicken, piattoni beans and bread sauce continue in the same vein, while anyone in search of a bargain should check out the weekday lunch deal comprising a main course with a pint of beer or a glass of wine.
The Kerfield Arms is located at 16 Grove Lane, London SE5 8SY, UK; thekerfieldarms.co.uk
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