The Peckham Pelican

Artsy Hangout with Delicious Pizza

Ah, Pelican's endearing dive-y charms greet you from the moment you cross its unpretentious threshold. Tucked away in South London like a favorite dog-eared novel rediscovered, this establishment beckons lovers of life's quirks. The atmosphere flirts with neglect, yet truthfully it's a whimsical choice to embrace the perfectly mismatched decor and those satisfyingly tatty sofas. You’ll find the Camberwell College of Arts contingent flocking here like hipster birdwatchers, scribbling notes on napkins while sipping on attractively affordable pints. Yes, the culinary offerings do include the ubiquitous pizza, straightforward but lovingly prepared, and reportedly span all the way to a chocolate cake famed for its salty eccentricity rather than sweetness.

Service hovers charmingly between the diligently attentive and grandiosely absent, sneaking as much character into your visit as a minor character fika in a Tennessee Williams play. As for libations, they're a diverse crowd pleaser, enduring similar dichotomies—the venerable and the edgy rubber fruitiness of the White Russian find kinship, each other's company being both competitive and complimentary. Venture outside into the rare patches of sun-kissed outdoor area, where time’s feared winged chariot slows to a relaxed bicycle ride. Though potential pitfalls may include a significant smattering of artistic grime (observe how ripped those trusted sofas seem to sigh), there's enough lambent London atmosphere to forgive such slights. In sum, it’s not so much a graceful swan, and more like that beloved pelican, delighting even when a bit heavy-handed—won’t we be back despite, nay because of it? Undoubtedly. — Penelope Savory