Not that it’s especially important but the exact geography of The Wood House eludes me.

The road it is on is Sydenham Hill, it is moments from Crystal Palace and I’d say it’s probably Upper Sydenham.

But the signs all around the pub say Dulwich – perhaps it is an aspiration thing?

One thing that is for certain is that The Wood House was a cut above. Whether that makes it a good pub is, again, up for debate.

For starters, this place was bloomin’ massive. Done up in refined, country house style, it has a couple of bar areas, a huge dining area and a gorgeous family-friendly garden.

The interior was immaculate, with leather-studded sofas, wingback chairs and calm blue/green paintwork.

All around sat friendly drinkers of a variety of ages, both men and women. Now, I know this kind of coffee shop crowd doesn’t please everyone but I’m a fan of places that feel welcoming.

The spotless bar was packed with tempting and tasty beers, lagers and ciders while behind it stood a friendly barmaid who – despite her shift technically finishing a couple of minutes ago – not only served me with a smile but actually wanted to chat and made me feel spoilt by the service.

When it came to eating, the menu was probably best read sitting down. Evidently this is a gastropub with emphasis on the dining and my attempts to eat for under a tenner were not successful.

I expect I missed a light bites menu somewhere along the line.

Essentially, what I ordered was bangers and mash for about 12 quid.

I say essentially because a bird appeared to have made a (very tasty) nest on my dinner but it didn't stop me wolfing it down.

My theory is that if you can cook something better at home then it’s not worth going out and I certainly ran that risk with sausages and potato but the Wood House did an excellent job. I don’t know many people who could have knocked up that dinner at home.

Still, for 12 quid, I know plenty who would try.

 

 

 

The Wood House, Sydenham Hill

How it rated:

Decor ***** Stunning

Atmosphere *** Welcoming

Staff ***** Top notch

Food ***** Unnecessarily fancy but impressive

Drink ***** Staggering selection

Price ** Quite steep