11 Victoria Parade
London
SE10 9FR
The Sail Loft is a new Fuller's pub on the Deptford-Greenwich border.
A large glass box overlooking the river, it opened in January and is already hugely popular. I visited a couple of weeks ago and booking ahead to get a table at the weekend was essential.
A 21st century interpretation of The Trafalgar, The Sail Loft is spacious, buzzy and gloriously light. The ground floor is dominated by the bar, the first floor is essentially a restaurant. Although a stone's throw from the Cutty Sark, the stretch of river front it occupies is relatively untravelled and the pub feels more like a local than a tourist trap - more Deptford than Greenwich.
The menu was high-quality, albeit Sunday's are roast-only, which is annoying for those of us who don't fetishise Sunday Roasts. The pork belly was fine, but the non-Sunday menu looked more interesting. The service was friendly, if a little chaotic during the opening week.
The Sail Loft adds a new dimension to the area: It's the sort of place to take visitors who are suspicious of London - reassuringly bright, clean, jolly and tasteful. It will come into its own in the summer.
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visit the website.
