The Sloaney Pony.
The Fulham Foal.
The Hoppy Hoof.
Whatever you want to call it, the White Horse has been around for a while. In fact, the first write up of it came courtesy of The Spectator on the 8th August, 1712. They had heard it boasted some “excellent ale” but that this rumour nevertheless “wanted confirmation”. Well, it’s only been a mite over three centuries since then, so we’re going to throw caution to the wind and just go ahead and give that confirmation.
The plain fact is this place has become a West London institution over the years. Why? Well, for one, when you go there it almost feels like you’ve stepped out of London for a moment. Sitting on the edge of Parson’s Green itself, on a cloudless day it almost seems like it’s just waiting for a village fete to spring up. Inside, it looks like a cosy Georgian-era townhouse complete with studded leather armchairs in front of a roaring fireplace. It’s old fashioned, and we mean that in a ‘gorgeous mahogany bar’ kind of way, rather than a ‘worryingly sticky carpet’ kind of way.
Then there’s the aforementioned “excellent ale”. The White Horse has built a reputation over the decades – nay, centuries – as a pub that champions beer while its West London contemporaries turned their attentions to wine. It’s meant that when the craft beer revolution started, the landlord’s toughest job was to basically just try and find a way to stop being so smug. The beers on offer are varied enough to suit pretty much any mood or obscure hop fetish (there’s even an entire tank of ultra-fresh, unpasteurised pilsner) but they also have plenty of cocktails, gins, and – indeed – wines.
Head to the back of the joint, and you’ll also find a rather enchanting little dining area with candles set into the walls, and a vaulted wooden ceiling above you. It’s snug, it’s intimate, and it’s here that you’ll want to be when ordering from their classic pub menu which includes the likes of venison steak with blackberries; a hearty ribeye with tobacco onions (don’t worry, they just taste smoky), or a surprisingly satisfying Beyond Meat burger with a cracking Scotch Bonnet sauce.
You know what, instead of waiting another three centuries, we’ll go ahead and confirm that they do pretty good food too.
Crazy, we know.
NOTE: The White Horse is open daily. You can find out more, and book a table, HERE.
The White Horse | 1-3 Parsons Green, SW6 4UL
While you’re in the area… explore the neighbourhood with our Fulham guide