Picture of Royal Albert, SE14 6TJ

Historical version 14 of Royal Albert, SE14 6TJ (view current version)

A fine Antic pub in New Cross (towards Deptford).

This was once the "Paradise Bar", the early-00s focus of the New Cross music scene and also known for some stabbings, which probably didn't help its longevity. Now it's been given back its original name, carefully refurbished, and done up with the familiar mismatching antique-style furniture, comfy leather sofas (and some less so, given their advanced state of decrepitude), and retro atmosphere. Although some of the tables push at the edges of sanity (a French-style dressing table in the front of the bar doesn't even have space to put your legs under it), the place is for the most part very cosy.

Bar staff are friendly, and there's regularly changing ales on the three handpulls, with Timothy Taylor's Landlord appearing to be the regular. On a May 2009 visit, the Landlord wasn't on, but there were two ales by a brewer called Purity (the Mad Goose, £3.10/pint, and Pure Gold), both alas rather bland. On an earlier visit in March 2008 the staff were keen for us to try the St Austell Proper Job ale, which was indeed very nice and well-kept. The wine list is fairly extensive and bottles are £14-19.

The kitchen area is open at the back of the bar so you can see the chef cooking. Food is served 5pm-10pm Monday to Friday, 1pm-5pm and 6pm-9pm Saturday, and 1pm-5pm Sunday (with a Sunday roast, including vegetarian option). Mains range from £6-9, with pizzas at around £7 and fries £3, as well as a selection of mix-and-match dishes for £3 each (four for £10) photo of menu in May 2009.

On a visit in May 2009, Ewan's vegetarian lasagne was excellent, served in a ceramic bowl on a solid wooden board, with a nicely crispy slice of garlic bread and a small fresh salad, an attractively-presented and tasty meal for only £7 photo. Sarah's R.A. burger was also a good size, if a little burnt, and with plenty of chips photo. A year earlier, the steak & ale pie was adjudged to be very good by Kat, while Ewan's mix of market vegetables and fried plantain with 'very hot' chilli sauce was a good size (and the sauce is indeed rather hot) photo. In April 2008, we tried the hummous and pitta bread starter (£3) in April 2008, which was nicely warmed, with some peppery hummous, very tasty. The food standard is, in general, excellent.

There's a pub quiz every Monday (£1 entry, 7:30pm start time). Arriving at 7pm on Monday the place has plenty of drinkers already, many out in the sunshine, and it fills up for the quiz which starts fairly promptly. The quiz has three rounds and is a good blend of easier and more challenging questions, with an extra drawing round on a June 2009 visit, but no sports round. The prize is the takings (in our case, June 2009, this was about £45). There's also a jackpot round to win a prize pot of money.

Ewan's verdict: Definitely a place worth returning to, a nice local for the area, with plenty to recommend it.

See also:

Last visited by Ewan and others, 1 June 2009. Prices verified on that visit. Opening hours taken from Antic website, March 2008. Food times taken from menu, May 2009.
OS X co-ord: 537118 OS Y co-ord: 176948 (Latitude: 51.474369 Longitude: -0.025429)
This is version 14 (as of 2009-06-03 14:33:53). View current version. List all versions.