A Surprise at the Surprise

It was Dave's birthday recently and I organised a simple surprise catch up with a few of Dave's mates at The Surprise, a lovely little pub tucked amongst the lovely houses of Chelsea.  Dave and I first stumbled across the Surprise during a walk through the back streets of Chelsea between King's Road and the Thames.  We loved the feel of the renovated pub:  the stained glass windows and partitions working wonderfully with the original bar and the lovely colours of the walls and the warm furniture.  Light in summer but also warm in winter, it was not surprising to find that it is part of the Geronimo Inns group of pubs, many of which we have enjoyed going to (the Northcote in Battersea, the Coat & Badge in Putney and the Fentiman Arms in Oval). 


Dave and I only had a drink last time but we got the chance to sample the food and more of the beers this time around.  With ten of us, we were seated upstairs in the dining area which was also very nice and comfortable.  The Surprise menu features lots of pub classics served as small plates from £2 to £6.95, with a few main sized meals on the specials board. 

Scotch Eggs & Cornish Squid - The Pub - Pork Belly

The warm Scotch egg with home made piccalilli was popular, as was the Cornish squid with lemon mayonnaise and crispy pork belly with apple sauce and sage.  Servings were small and when added up, can a bit pricey for a pub meal but this was offset by the quality and variety with everything very fresh and tasty.  Desserts were also yum including the espresso and honey crème brulee and the apple tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream.  The "prettiest" dessert was definitely the Eton 'tidy', a variation of Eton mess with blackberries, raspberries, vanilla cream and meringue. 

Inside the Pub - Eton "tidy" - Apple Tarte Tatin

The Surprise is definitely the kind of pub you can relax and spend a long time in given the lovely setting, the choice of food to snack or dine on, and a very good selection of beers and wines.  We spent a good six hours for Dave's birthday lunch and drinks, and even then we didn't tire of it.  We'll definitely be back to this local surprise.


What:  The Surprise
Where:  6 Christchurch Terrace, Chelsea, SW3 4AJ
How much:  plates from £2-£6.95, desserts £5.50 or £8 for the cheese board; pints average £3.50