A sunny Easter weekend @ The White SwanFace it. For the last few months you’ve been lying awake at night agonising over whether to mention a delicate issue that’s been bugging you day in, day out, day in, day out. Running around your head has been the same refrain, “When, when, WHEN?”. You ponder whether a cup of camomile tea or perhaps a large scotch will help you get back to sleep but it’s just no use. You can’t stop thinking about it. You just need an answer. You just need to KNOW. And so, at last, to answer that question, that all important question of, “When is that bloody twickerati site going to do an item on Twickenham’s best pub?” we can reveal to you that the answer is… NOW!
OK, perhaps you’ve not actually considered the question before or maybe, like a publication from the El Brute press office, you’re now trying to work out if there’s a hidden agenda here or if you read the text backwards it will reveal a satanic message from “Dark” Lord True in support of tougher parking regulations. We can assure you that there’s nothing so complicated or fanciful here. We’re simply asking the question: what’s the best pub in Twickenham?
The Cabbage Patch Yes it’s totally subjective (and ultimately quite meaningless) but with quite a few boozers recently having had makeovers, we felt the time was right to ask. Will it be The White Swan (small, charming and with a great location but perhaps a little twee for some) or The Eel Pie (ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to local pubbing) or The Cabbage Patch (refurbished a la rugby) or the new look Fox? If you like it lively then of course there’s The George or The Bear. And what about that one that used to be a post office but which you’ve never actually been inside? Will you go west to the likes of The Prince Albert, the new look Sussex, or The Prince Blucher? Or maybe head off the other way to The Old Anchor, The Crown or The Turk’s Head. And that’s only some of them.
There’s a big old choice in Twickenham but which ones float your public houseboat… and why?
Cabbage Patch Twickenham..The only local pub to have an active , consistent programme of supporting live music in the area..it even has its own purpose built music spaces and with EEl Pie Club, Twickenham Jazz Club and Twick Folk also resident there..ok not on Rugby days ! but what the heck..
Sussex Arms
I used to go to the White Swan (remember when the sheepdogs were there), or the Blucher. But since my first visit to the Sussex last year I’ve not been to any other pub in Twickenham. Same reasons as all the others. If you build it they will come.
What is happening to the White Swan? They have to have the rudest arrogant staff in the borough, ESP one certain barmaid! The service is dreadful at the best of times, and they seem to rely purely on location for custom, been a badly run pub for years, seems to go from bad to worse!
The Sussex, no question. Great real ales and cider on tap, wonderful food (ah the pies, the pies) a good old fashioned record player and a great mix of people.
The Sussex, I have family down that way and this is where we usually go when we’re staying a few nights, unless we’re forced to stay else-where due to availability.
Sussex used to be great until they let kids rule over dogs!!! Prince Blucher from now on!!!
By a country mile – The Eel Pie.
Why? The service is really friendly, wines are OK and beers are excellent, plus a friendly mix of locals.
I’ve been going there since the Mary Wallace Theatre opened.
Lots of good places to go locally. We are blessed. Tried Ales and Tails a couple of times recently – very good staff and a huge selection beers, drinks, and even cocktails! Good atmos too!
Still, hardly any pubs around here do anything meaningful for smokers. They seem quite happy to let their customers freeze. Bit of a missed business opportunity me thinks?
It’s the Sussex, by a Country mile. great beer, cider and Vinyl.
There is another nice pub that hasn’t been mentioned at all – The Prince of Wales – where I’ve always had a well treated pint, has a cute little cottage garden, does a decent cheap Sunday Roast (The French chef knows he has something to prove cooking a traditional British sunday roast), and does music mid week. It was the local CAMRA pub of the year in 2011.
I live walking distance of the PoW, Sussex and Albert and say they are all great for different moods. My missus doesn’t like the Sussex so much, can have a unique beer fart odour from all the real ale drinking at times!
Who is this other Hester who rates the Blucher with its low ceilings and smell of chips..The best pub has got to be the Sussex for its ciders, vinyl and pies! The George for its Sunday music. The Albert for its Thai. Hester of Hester and Leon!!
The Sussex Arms by a country mile. Friendly staff, great beers, good food, nice atmosphere, no screens and plays vinyl.
Used to be the Fox but seems to have lost its boozer charm.
Could have been the White Swan if new owners hadn’t wanted it as their own private drinking den and ruined it with crap beer, bad staff and total loss of it soul.
The Sussex, for having a massive selection of Ciders (approx 6) and Ales (approx 13) that changes every time a barrels run out. £3 a pint and £1.50 for a half, gives you a chance to sample most of their selection. Staff are friendly too. Lucky for us we live that side of town. The Fox should get a shout out too.
It’s the Sussex by a mile. Best beer selection and great music all played on vinyl. I told my wife I wanted to live there. The Rifleman gets and honourable mention too
The Sussex for the drinking atmosphere, staff and cider. The Fox is nice but smells constantly like the toilets have backed up! The George for sport, without doubt. Great atmosphere for games and even someone with awful sight like me can find a screen to watch!
The Prince Albert is best for me, a home from home. Good for a quiet pint, good for sport (a louder pint), good for food, good for beer and good for pre-match and post-match rugby. Impressed by the recent Fox revival too.
Which pub is best for families though?
i am going to have to put my prejudices aside and try the Sussex, it used to be full of drugs and football hooligans when i was younger. The Misty Moon is a surreal experience, like a little bit of Crewe in the suburbs, there was a bloke fast asleep in there last week.
Agree re the Sussex. One that is under-used but serves excellently kept beer and a fine Sunday roast is The Old Anchor – opposite Marble Hill Fireplaces / Lebanon Park.
We are very lucky with recent refurbs. 3 Kings is very well placed and good to see it back. The Fox is bigger and better and very popular. But The Sussex has taken it to another level. Astonishly good beer and music on vinyl. It’s what the White Swan could have been when it was done up a couple of years ago.
The Sussex Arms without doubt! A wide selection of real ales served by knowledgable staff. Always met with a friendly smile and a goood bit of banter. Excellent food, real fires, plus only two lagers. This has seen off the pond life that used to frequent this pub. Just pure excellence. What’s not to like!?
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Not sure about the best, but surely the White Swan has to be among the worst? So dissapointing, with all that potential, but the staff are rude, the beer is Super Expensive and the food is rubbish. Should do better really.
Keen to try the Sussex after this thread, Thanks!!
Used to love the Fox before the refurbishment for Sunday lunches. Unfortunately they nearly doubled the price and reduced the amount of food so have since taken my business to the Royal Oak!
Beer In The Evening site says 1. Rifleman 2. Sussex Arms 3. Prince of Wales. First two already mentioned several times here; does no-one sup in the PoW?
I loved Popes Grotto before they ruined it (over 10 years ago now!); quite rate the Sussex and like the Eel Pie. But don’t get out enough (ankle biters!) to be definitive on the ‘best’.
Best thing about the White Swan is sitting outside on the pavement, pint in hand, on a sunny afternoon so even though that is great, I’m not sure that qualifies it for best pub. Best pub on a sunny Sunday perhaps??
Also like:
The Albert – it’s just a proper pub with decent beers.
The Eel Pie – has the feel of a ‘local’ despite the rugby paraphenalia
The Sussex is good but a bit beardy and if you can’t get a seat you’re always standing in someone’s way. Too new to win my best pub award.
So, of the above, I’m going to give my vote to the Eel Pie.
(I’ve never been in the Rifleman or the nearby PoW but might give them both a go.)
We are doing really well for pubs in Twickenham at the moment. I really like The Sussex in its new incarnation, and the new Fox is good too. I’ve been frustrated at the service inThe White Swan on a few occasions. A shame as a lot of the pieces are there to make it a really great pub.
The Sussex is great as I can nip home for a wee if need be BUT its starting to get too busy and full of real beer heads (and their bellies..)
Roll on the summer as it has a great garden, I still love it though.
The Fox – Love it, fast becoming my Church St Favourite.
White Swan – Used to go by boat for a cheeky couple in the summer…got sick of the staff attitude and the fact the toilets have not changed since my Dad took me there when I was 4 (I am now 37) Only have one if walking past..
And now TW2 has thrown me a curved ball…..used to hate it in its old form but had a rather pleasant bottle of red there on Sunday night, proabbly the only place to do so in comfort without feeling guilty about it being a “beer” pub..
Alexander Pope. Ok, technically it’s a hotel, but it operates like a pub. Great views, lovely interior and lots of little nooks and crannies you can snuggle up in for hours.
Rifleman also very good, not least because the landlord and landlady are astonishingly young (18, I think), but do some brilliant offers (free bowl of chili with your pint was a particular winner).
The Sussex Arms, just off Twickenham green, is by far the best pub in Twickenham! Great, happy friendly staff, excellent ales and ciders and amazing Sunday roasts! I am in there far too often!
Twickerati 
Cabbage Patch Twickenham..The only local pub to have an active , consistent programme of supporting live music in the area..it even has its own purpose built music spaces and with EEl Pie Club, Twickenham Jazz Club and Twick Folk also resident there..ok not on Rugby days ! but what the heck..
Sussex Arms
I used to go to the White Swan (remember when the sheepdogs were there), or the Blucher. But since my first visit to the Sussex last year I’ve not been to any other pub in Twickenham. Same reasons as all the others. If you build it they will come.
Brouge, The Old Goat, 2013 refurb, good beers, great food, great restaurant and beer garden and top notch service. highly recommended
What is happening to the White Swan? They have to have the rudest arrogant staff in the borough, ESP one certain barmaid! The service is dreadful at the best of times, and they seem to rely purely on location for custom, been a badly run pub for years, seems to go from bad to worse!
Seems bit better, offending staff seem to have gone!
The Crown pub is now the Fav for us – what’s not to like – certainly giving other local pubs a run for their money!
I agree…best food in the area too but not cheap!
The Sussex, no question. Great real ales and cider on tap, wonderful food (ah the pies, the pies) a good old fashioned record player and a great mix of people.
Yes, a real star
The Royal oak on richmond road is brilliant.
If you want to pay £5 for a pint of Guinness in a plastic cup !
The Prince Albert – just see how busy it always is!
The Sussex, I have family down that way and this is where we usually go when we’re staying a few nights, unless we’re forced to stay else-where due to availability.
Sussex used to be great until they let kids rule over dogs!!! Prince Blucher from now on!!!
By a country mile – The Eel Pie.
Why? The service is really friendly, wines are OK and beers are excellent, plus a friendly mix of locals.
I’ve been going there since the Mary Wallace Theatre opened.
Lots of good places to go locally. We are blessed. Tried Ales and Tails a couple of times recently – very good staff and a huge selection beers, drinks, and even cocktails! Good atmos too!
Still, hardly any pubs around here do anything meaningful for smokers. They seem quite happy to let their customers freeze. Bit of a missed business opportunity me thinks?
It’s the Sussex, by a Country mile. great beer, cider and Vinyl.
There is another nice pub that hasn’t been mentioned at all – The Prince of Wales – where I’ve always had a well treated pint, has a cute little cottage garden, does a decent cheap Sunday Roast (The French chef knows he has something to prove cooking a traditional British sunday roast), and does music mid week. It was the local CAMRA pub of the year in 2011.
I live walking distance of the PoW, Sussex and Albert and say they are all great for different moods. My missus doesn’t like the Sussex so much, can have a unique beer fart odour from all the real ale drinking at times!
I love the acronym PoW!
The Pub Quiz on Sunday at The Royal Oak is always packed.
Which pub does the best Sunday roast in Twickenham then?
The Sussex hands down. Everyone seems delighted to be there. I love the whole different beer every visit thing. And vinyl, how great is that!
Who is this other Hester who rates the Blucher with its low ceilings and smell of chips..The best pub has got to be the Sussex for its ciders, vinyl and pies! The George for its Sunday music. The Albert for its Thai. Hester of Hester and Leon!!
The Sussex Arms by a country mile. Friendly staff, great beers, good food, nice atmosphere, no screens and plays vinyl.
Used to be the Fox but seems to have lost its boozer charm.
Could have been the White Swan if new owners hadn’t wanted it as their own private drinking den and ruined it with crap beer, bad staff and total loss of it soul.
The Sussex, for having a massive selection of Ciders (approx 6) and Ales (approx 13) that changes every time a barrels run out. £3 a pint and £1.50 for a half, gives you a chance to sample most of their selection. Staff are friendly too. Lucky for us we live that side of town. The Fox should get a shout out too.
The Sussex does it for me – good selection of beers, friendly service and all round warm engaging atmosphere.
It’s the Sussex by a mile. Best beer selection and great music all played on vinyl. I told my wife I wanted to live there. The Rifleman gets and honourable mention too
Sussex Arms. Brilliant live music on a Tuesday night. Great beers. Heaven.
The Sussex for the drinking atmosphere, staff and cider. The Fox is nice but smells constantly like the toilets have backed up! The George for sport, without doubt. Great atmosphere for games and even someone with awful sight like me can find a screen to watch!
The Prince Albert is best for me, a home from home. Good for a quiet pint, good for sport (a louder pint), good for food, good for beer and good for pre-match and post-match rugby. Impressed by the recent Fox revival too.
Which pub is best for families though?
i am going to have to put my prejudices aside and try the Sussex, it used to be full of drugs and football hooligans when i was younger. The Misty Moon is a surreal experience, like a little bit of Crewe in the suburbs, there was a bloke fast asleep in there last week.
It wasn’t a Geordie bloke with a big belly, by any chance, was it? Mind you difficult to tell if he’s a Geordie if he’s asleep though……
The Prince Blucher. Food’s lovely, very friendly, massive beer garden, good quiz and cozy but not chintzy decor. And nice beer.
Haha it’s Fullers! Shite food shite beer
Agree re the Sussex. One that is under-used but serves excellently kept beer and a fine Sunday roast is The Old Anchor – opposite Marble Hill Fireplaces / Lebanon Park.
We are very lucky with recent refurbs. 3 Kings is very well placed and good to see it back. The Fox is bigger and better and very popular. But The Sussex has taken it to another level. Astonishly good beer and music on vinyl. It’s what the White Swan could have been when it was done up a couple of years ago.
The Sussex Arms without doubt! A wide selection of real ales served by knowledgable staff. Always met with a friendly smile and a goood bit of banter. Excellent food, real fires, plus only two lagers. This has seen off the pond life that used to frequent this pub. Just pure excellence. What’s not to like!?
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Oooh tough one…The Albany do great food…but I do love the Fox!!
The blucher – over rated!!! and def not keen on The George or the Three kings.
Not sure about the best, but surely the White Swan has to be among the worst? So dissapointing, with all that potential, but the staff are rude, the beer is Super Expensive and the food is rubbish. Should do better really.
Keen to try the Sussex after this thread, Thanks!!
Used to love the Fox before the refurbishment for Sunday lunches. Unfortunately they nearly doubled the price and reduced the amount of food so have since taken my business to the Royal Oak!
well they are owned by the same company so…. i doubt they care!
That would explain the extortionate prices in the Royal Oak. Miserable staff too, but i guess they get moaned at all day because of the prices!
Cabbage patch by far. amazing food, great new look.
Sussex Arms!!
Beer In The Evening site says 1. Rifleman 2. Sussex Arms 3. Prince of Wales. First two already mentioned several times here; does no-one sup in the PoW?
I loved Popes Grotto before they ruined it (over 10 years ago now!); quite rate the Sussex and like the Eel Pie. But don’t get out enough (ankle biters!) to be definitive on the ‘best’.
Best thing about the White Swan is sitting outside on the pavement, pint in hand, on a sunny afternoon so even though that is great, I’m not sure that qualifies it for best pub. Best pub on a sunny Sunday perhaps??
Also like:
The Albert – it’s just a proper pub with decent beers.
The Eel Pie – has the feel of a ‘local’ despite the rugby paraphenalia
The Sussex is good but a bit beardy and if you can’t get a seat you’re always standing in someone’s way. Too new to win my best pub award.
So, of the above, I’m going to give my vote to the Eel Pie.
(I’ve never been in the Rifleman or the nearby PoW but might give them both a go.)
We are doing really well for pubs in Twickenham at the moment. I really like The Sussex in its new incarnation, and the new Fox is good too. I’ve been frustrated at the service inThe White Swan on a few occasions. A shame as a lot of the pieces are there to make it a really great pub.
The Sussex is great as I can nip home for a wee if need be BUT its starting to get too busy and full of real beer heads (and their bellies..)
Roll on the summer as it has a great garden, I still love it though.
The Fox – Love it, fast becoming my Church St Favourite.
White Swan – Used to go by boat for a cheeky couple in the summer…got sick of the staff attitude and the fact the toilets have not changed since my Dad took me there when I was 4 (I am now 37) Only have one if walking past..
And now TW2 has thrown me a curved ball…..used to hate it in its old form but had a rather pleasant bottle of red there on Sunday night, proabbly the only place to do so in comfort without feeling guilty about it being a “beer” pub..
2 great pubs the Rifleman and the Sussex, both Twickenham Green
staff are excellent for customer service at the Sussex
Rifleman has some excellent prizes
we could do with an organised pub crawl to test out the finalists
Best pub for me is probably The Fox. Certainly one for atmosphere and it’s nice and central
Alexander Pope. Ok, technically it’s a hotel, but it operates like a pub. Great views, lovely interior and lots of little nooks and crannies you can snuggle up in for hours.
Rifleman also very good, not least because the landlord and landlady are astonishingly young (18, I think), but do some brilliant offers (free bowl of chili with your pint was a particular winner).
Not saying, otherwise you’ll all start going there and then it won’t be as good anymore!
The Sussex Arms, just off Twickenham green, is by far the best pub in Twickenham! Great, happy friendly staff, excellent ales and ciders and amazing Sunday roasts! I am in there far too often!
I agree, a fantastic pub, great for a quiet drink. Very impressive selection of beers too
I agree. The Sussex wins – an amazing transformation !