The Three Stags

You're on Kennington Road, that stretch where south London proper starts to feel like somewhere, and you've ducked into a pub that's been doing the business for years without needing an Instagram rebrand. The Three Stags is the kind of place where the bar staff know regulars' names, the drinks are honest (no artisanal nonsense, just decent beer and spirits), and there's an actual sense of community—something increasingly difficult to find south of the river. It's got that lived-in feel: wooden interiors, proper lighting that doesn't make you look dead, and room to actually move about without your elbows in someone else's drink.