Woodies Freehouse

You'll find yourself in New Malden at The Sportsground, where Woodies has carved out a reputation as the kind of local that actually deserves the crowds. The setup is refreshingly unpretentious—there's real ale aplenty, the sort of rotating taps that make beer enthusiasts genuinely excited, and a menu that takes pub food seriously without getting precious about it. It's the sort of place where you can rock up for a proper pint and end up staying three hours, arguing about football or discovering your new favourite craft beer.