The Cask Pub and Kitchen offers quality beer

This poor pub has had a chequered past with numerous changes of management and decoration in recent years.

It doesn't help that it's set into a 70s council block, all of which is so incongruous against the backdrop of nearby Georgian houses that it looks as if it was picked up off a street corner in SE2 and left here by mistake.

However, a friendly husband and wife team have recently taken over and elevated this into a place worth seeking out. Their selling point - as testified by the name - is quality beer.

There's usually four or five on the hand pulls, with a particular liking for some excellent Dark Star brews - as testified by the collection of pump labels beginning to accumulate. Our pint of Everard's Tiger was in better nick than we've had in certain Everard's pubs.

Behind the bar are also some Belgian and German bottled beers; the smoked Bamberg Rauchbier comes recommended. The dcor is muted - heated bench seating is enlivened by numerous cushions and a giant world map always fills wall space nicely.

There's a wide mix of customers - older locals sampling the Belgian brews, plus the after work crowd, tourists and the odd CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) member taking an early peek. Overall, Cask is a good alternative to some of the other places in the area and we wish the owners well.

FOOD REVIEW Reasonably priced, vaguely upmarket sounding fare (although this place doesn't need to use the word "jus", in our opinion). We recall Seabass on the menu, alongside the CASK burger. Chips were tasty and priced at £2.50, but we don't want a saucer of vinegar - just give us the bottle!

FOOD RATING: 2 FOOD VALUE:

NEAREST STATION: Pimlico station

FEATURES: Good selection of real ale and bottled continental beers, outdoor seating, TV (one large plasma)

Cask
6 Charlwood Street, SW1V 2EE