The Session #149: pub food
Let's talk about how (and why) Londoners can't escape Yard Sale Pizza
For the July edition of The Session I’m asking participants to write a blog, web post, newsletter (like this one) or even a SM thread on the subject of food in pubs. At the end of the month I’ll post a list of all the various links. Here’s #145 on beer critique. And #148 on pub quizzes.
I encourage people to be critical, whimsical or celebratory. In fact, I hope they will be inspired by today’s format which will take one subject and then recommend a few good pub food options.
It’s a chance for me to support all types of writers and to show some solidarity among those who are enthusiastic about pubs (and possibly food or at least pub food!) The deadline for submissions is 24 July and I’ll publish them here the next day.
Considering I’ve written a book on Desi Pubs and covered the topic extensively you’ll think I’ll be selling you the idea that Indian food is the ideal pub food. It is. But it shouldn’t come cheap because of the marination time, energy costs of a grill, tandoor and quality ingredients needed that come at a price. Because of this I think that the days of a family saving money by sharing a mixed grill are rare or being threatened in nearly every area.
Or maybe it’s just nice to look at food in pubs without the desi lens. For once.
Instead I want to examine the growth of Yard Sale Pizza in London and what it says about the state of pubs in 2025. For those who have never experienced this recent phenomenon Yard Sale delivers to taprooms, pubs and bars around the capital in spaces that often don’t have a kitchen or can’t make selling food economical. The latter is key to this article.
YSP started in Clapton in 2014, by Johnnie Tate and Nick Buckland, and this shop was apparently opened by actor Macaulay Culkin. It’s accounts are under the name Well Street Pizza Company Ltd and in 2024 it had £1.4m in the bank with a yearly profit of £1.2m, according to Companies House.
The list of venues where you can use an app to get a pizza handed to your table is huge; I counted that Yard Sale is the only food option at a staggering 128 places. All of these 128 spaces tend to be indie and/or craft-y; the Shirker’s Rest in south-east London where I do a regular-ish shift doesn’t have a kitchen and the Korean fried chicken place next door is ridiculous - they refuse to provide sauces and people seem to visit solely for selfies. (This is a New Cross problem where there’s even a shop selling just crumble. Yes crumble as in apple crumble.)
Yard Sale will sell quite a few pizzas at the Shirker’s every night - I have to rip the boxes up afterwards - and will offer a free staff pizza or discount to servers. It’s a great business model when you factor in they run a their own fleet of motorcycle or battery-operated cyclists from 14 kitchens (which also have some seating). As it happens I live far too near to one of these shops and it’s a good option when I’m doing solo childcare and need hot food after my kids’ bedtimes.
So much Deliveroo food doesn’t get to you hot (multiple drop offs are the issue) and those types of apps take a huge commission, which Yard Sale avoids by using its own delivery staff. They also sponsor local kiddies’ football teams; it’s more ethical than a late-night McDonald’s order. But is it cheap?
I’ll let you decide. An 18-inch margherita is £20 (they say it “feeds two hungry people”, again I’ll let you decide if that’s true) and an 18-inch pepperoni climbs to £30.50. There’s a bore in my local boozer of a certain age who calls it cheese on toast that can be made for a couple of quid.
He’s half right as an ex-owner of a Michelin restaurant confirmed to me yesterday that these pizzas do have huge margins and the dough itself would be a fraction of that price. The business model also has to factor in a large marketing budget and they often do heavily-publicised collaborations with other food & drink outlets and even celebrities.
How do they taste? Pretty darn good to be honest. The crust is near perfect at all times - find me another delivery firm that can guarantee this level of char and moisture of dough - and the marinara somehow manages to feel indulgent despite seeping into the dough as it’s schlepped though London traffic. Factor in that very pizza can be made vegan with luxurious toppings then you can see why it’s an excellent taproom option.
My issue, though, is its ubiquity. And how in south-east London the mid-range fish n chip or pie option has vanished with only terrible microwaved food prevailing in this category. A Spoons. A Greene King. (The community-owned Ivy House in Nunhead is the outlier here but even they supplement their menu with pizzas.)
And to make matters worse the type of traditional place that would’ve done me my decent chip lunch has worked out Yard Sale Pizza is the easier option. In fact, if I’m with the kids I take them to this gastropub nearby where they have a good kids menu and know how to talk to children. As you’ve guessed, though, the food may be good but the beer options are as terrible as you’d expect from a tied-pub that pretends not to be a tied-pub. Gastro about food. Macro about beer. A pint of Estrella Damn here is nearly £7.
Yard Sale thrives in places like this. Yard Sale thrives across London.
But here’s three great pubs that buck the trend when it comes to food and give me my dream plate in a traditonal setting.
1 - The Hope in Carshalton
I’ve an upcoming article on this pub for Pellicle and when I told my partner about the food here I wasn’t expecting enthusiasm because they use microwaves. But I piqued her interest by saying these are batched cooked delights like chili, curries or dals. “Who wouldn’t want home-cooked food in a pub?” she asked.
You get this fare in a pot with bread or rice as a side for about £8. Manager Nick Williams told me: “I don’t see why pubs don’t steal this idea; you can’t copyright batch cooking and then sell it with some nice bread.” Side tip: The Express Tavern in Kew also does pot meals but without the choice of the Hope - go on a Monday when you can get a pint of Bass for £3.50
2 - The Woodsman in Birmingham
3 - John Harvey Tavern in Lewes
