Trinity Arms very much falls into the category of a hidden gem, being tucked away in a quiet suburban square of Brixton; although it is actually just a short walk from Brixton high street. This historic, much-loved pub has been around Trinity Square since 1861 and with their recent refurbishment, they are clearly going to be around for at least a few more decades.
The beautiful, ornate wooden panelling for the bar just exemplifies why a visit to a British pub is high on every tourist’s to-do-list. The decor might be more modern now but the style is still very quintessentially British. Trinity Arms is the ideal pub for all seasons; in the summer their terrace is ideal for alfresco dining, whilst their indoor fireplace will keep you warm and cosy in the winter time.
The new simplified menu has all the classics you would expect plus a sterling session of burger offerings from burgershack. I would rarely comment that food portions are too large at a particular pub, but that is definitely the case with their sweet dirty fries, chilli pulled pork, sour cream, green chillis and sriracha. It is extremely great value for money, but I would order this as a main course rather than a starter. The curly fries are golden and crispy whilst the pulled pork is full of flavours from the chili. According to my guest, the cheese stuffed jalapenos, hot sauce were rather too fiery, as the seeds were not removed from the jalapenos.
Ale battered cod was another classic which was a winner. The batter was firm and crunchy, whilst the cod was meaty and fresh-tasting. Although with another portion of chips, I had suffered chips-overdose by the end of my main course. The other essential components like mushy peas and tartare sauce were all present and well-executed.
The other main course we tried was the veggie burger. It had an appetising purple hue as the ‘patty’ had crispy beetroot. It was an earthy combination with fennel, lentil, mozzarella, shredded lettuce and pickle. This is one vegetarian offering when you don’t have to worry about whether you need to make another dish when you arrive home.
For desserts, I opted for a supposedly healthy dose of strawberries and cream; although that might be in dispute with the large amount of cream and then ice cream on top.
If you live in the Brixton area or you are visiting the area for a concert for example, Trinity Arms should be a pub you consider for classic British cuisine without the need to fight through crowds of drinkers or diners.
baldwin@townfish.com