A Spicy Winter Warmer at the Spencer Arms

Curry night in this Putney Common pub is a great deal

The Spencer Arms

November 6, 2024

There was a definite chill in the air when we went for a curry and a catch-up in Putney's Spencer Arms, but the warm welcome we received on entering soon helped us defrost from our walk along the Lower Richmond Road.

This historic pub is in a splendid setting, right on the doorstep of Putney Common and can be reached by a range of public transport options. Setting foot inside, there's a great choice of seating - from comfy sofas to cosy corner tables, as well as bar stools and a slightly livelier end. 

We opted for a quiet corner table and were looking forward to the pub's Thursday night curry special to help us finally see off the winter blues. While their standard main menu was still on offer - with dishes such as beer-battered haddock, skin-on chips, mushy peas, pickled onion and tartare sauce (£18.50) sounding very tempting - we went for the veggie and meat curries.

Other main courses on the menu included: Grilled fillet of sea bream, roasted fennel with spinach and butterbeans (£21); Sausage and mashed potatoes with onion gravy (£16.50); Chicken Kyiv, mashed potato, green beans (£19). There's also a sharing menu, a children's menu and Sunday roasts. For the Sunday roasts, there's a range of meats on offer, with a half roast chicken complete with roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, gravy, roasted root veg and seasonal greens costing £19.

My choice was the coconut/veggie curry, for just £12, which came complete with pilaf rice, dahl, onion bhaji, salad, papadum and naan. My friend went for the kadhi chicken curry, at a cost of an extra £2 it also came with the full complement of side dishes.

When we were presented with our groaning plates, we both had to comment favourably on the feast before our eyes. I wasn't quite sure how I would finish all mine off, and indeed it did just about beat me. The veggie curry was just the right level of spiciness, with a real hit of flavour. The side dishes added to the colour as well as the variety of textures and tastes on offer.

My friend's chicken curry was also a tasty treat - not too strong, but still a spicy sensation. The chicken was done perfectly and the portion of every dish on the serving plate was very generous.

There was an ambience to the Spencer Arms that encouraged us to stay for more when our curry meal was finished. I couldn't resist rounding off my meal with affogato (£5), while my friend opted for apple, blackberry and cinnamon crumble, served with custard (£7). While my friend initially thought the crumble topping was very slightly too 'crunchy', pouring on the warm custard soon made it the perfect consistency and it was a very generous portion too! 

Dessert at the Spencer Arms

With the usual range of pub drinks, we were impressed that we could have had a curry and a pint, and left the pub with change from £20. I'd enjoyed a pint of Happy Hooker real ale for £5.50, while my friend had a £7 pint of Beavertown's popular keg choice, Neck Oil.

Of course, we had the desserts to be added to our bill and, after the immaculate, speedy and friendly service, we were happy for the 12.5% service charge to be included as well. Our total bill came to £56.81, which is very competitive for Putney and an excellent price to pay for an evening that was definitely an all-round winter warmer.

Sue Chourlarton