Every neighbourhood needs at least one quality pub, a place that locals can go to relax and chill out, to kick start a big night out or simply when you just can’t be bothered to cook. Fulham Broadway’s Cock Tavern is just that, a trendy local boozer that’s perfect for meeting up with friends.
The pub is full of personality with quirky furniture and idiosyncratic wallpaper alongside more traditional pub features such as big screen TVs and a dartboard. Some tables even have phones allowing you to communicate with other tables, or call the bar to place your order!
The menu here is a real treat too, with a large focus on sharing and grazing, meaning lots of little plates. We found that five plates between two people was more than enough to leave us fully satisfied. The British beef sliders were perfectly formed chunks of meat topped with Denhay cheddar and bloody mary relish. The salt and pepper squid came in a large portion, deep fried with a chilli and lime flavouring providing a spicy zesty kick.
The devilled whitebait seasoned with paprika, chilli and cayenne pepper were complemented perfectly by home made tartare sauce which also worked well with the squid and our veg dish of courgette fries. Deep fried veg almost feels like cheating, but it should definitely still count as one of your five a day! Our absolute highlight though was the sticky bourbon barbecue ribs; sweet, smokey and very meaty. Boney spare ribs can be a disappointment but we had no such problems as we gnawed every last bit of pork from the bone.
Following five fairly large sharing plates, we opted to share a dessert and ordered the British Isles cheeseboard. However, the cheeseboard could have easily fed a dozen people and might be one of the largest portions we’ve ever seen! Three huge blocks of cheese the size of housebricks were accompanied by caramelised onion chutney. One creamy, one chalky and one that crackled and almost fizzed in the mouth – the perfect end to the meal.
Our only tip is to check the football fixtures and make sure Chelsea are not playing at home if you are planning a trip here. The Cock Tavern is only a few hundred yards from Stamford Bridge so you may struggle to find a table before kick off! Alternatively, if you’re going to the match, this could be the perfect place for some quality pre-match pub grub.
The Cock Tavern, 360 North End Road, SW6
www.cocktavern.co.uk