The Actress in Southwark

Best pub in East Dulwich. Great food and beer and amazing for the family of all ages.

Spent a gorgeous afternoon in the sun yesterday, had never been to The Actress but was pleasantly surprised straightaway. Was attended by friendly bar staff and could not fault the creamy Guinness, was perfect every time. Special thanks to Rose who took her time to recommend the pale ales to me!

I had a lovely evening and fab time at the Sunday quiz! Rose the waitress was a stunning and engaging host full of giggles and fabulous ice cube measurements

Rose is the bomb, very helpful and attentive! Perfect Sunday spot

A Delightful Lunch at The Actress, East Dulwich Nestled just off Lordship Lane in East Dulwich, The Actress offers a welcoming atmosphere for both locals and visitors. The pub’s friendly staff and relaxed environment set the tone for a pleasant dining experience. Ambiance and Service Upon entering, we were greeted warmly and promptly seated. The pub’s interior boasts a cozy and inviting ambiance, complemented by attentive service throughout our visit. Food and Drink The menu features a variety of options, including traditional pub classics and handmade pizzas. We opted for the wood-fired pizzas, which were a highlight of the meal. The crust was perfectly crisp, and the toppings were fresh and flavorful. The drinks menu offered a selection of craft beers and cocktails, enhancing the overall experience. Facilities The Actress is known for its dog-friendly policy, making it an excellent choice for pet owners. Additionally, the pub features outdoor seating with heaters, ensuring comfort year-round. It’s also equipped with facilities suitable for families and individuals with mobility impairments, though it’s worth noting that the stairs to the restrooms are steep. Conclusion Our lunch at The Actress was thoroughly enjoyable. The combination of excellent food, attentive service, and a welcoming atmosphere makes it a standout choice in East Dulwich. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, The Actress is worth a visit.

Had a great evening at the Actress, great staff, really tasty pizza`s and fab drinks! We will be back, thanks to Evan and the team!

Had a really pleasant experience at this pub. The customer service was first class. I was served with a smile and was made to feel really welcome. My meal was delicious and fresh. I Would love to revisit. Definitely recommend customers pay The Actress Pub a visit 😀

Initial impressions were great. Really friendly bar staff, a cracking new beer which I’d never tried before, big open plan bar/eating area, with a wood fired pizza oven…… and then in the space of 30mins, Lucifer opened the gates of Hell! Strong words you may feel, but hear me out. We arrived at around 16:30 and the Parking Gods must have been smiling, nabbed a spot just outside. I was anticipating a forced march, 14 changes of buses, a short haul easyJet flight to get to the pub after finding a parking space, but no, right outside. Our spirits were high, so fortuitous, a spring in our step for the 10 paces to the pub. Things were looking good! Inside, maybe 10 -15 people: 4 guys on their 2nd round of Guinness, certainly not going to be their last round, happy, laughing, lots of camaraderie out for an early Friday night session. A dad tucking into what looked like a really nice pizza with his two young kids, a couple of 30 something mums, one with a pram snuggling her young babe chatting away to her friend, a cheeky bottle of something white and cold between them. “This is really nice” I commented to my partner, “Hmmmm” she said. “Why the frown ?” I questioned as I supped a particularly tasty pint. “Just wait” was all she said. Being totally flummoxed at the cryptic reply I turned my attention to the menu. As I read It dawned on me what may lie ahead. Standard pub farye but the clue was in the explanation for each item. A burger and fries is a burger and fries but the way it was described it could have been written by some top team at a glossy corporate advertising agency. “ The cow who donated his/her/they body was hand reared by artisan farmers, 21 generations of honest toil, fed on ecologically sourced and sustainable grass, only on south facing slopes, lovingly crafted by our chef who learnt his/her/they craft at the hands of 12 Michelin starred Antoine de Rosbiff after 7 gruelling years working his way up to his current position, where he/she/they then transformed this beef aligning it with brioche made from the finest organic 00 flour hand ground by peasants high up in the massif central using only water sourced deep within …..” my description is highly exaggerated and said tongue in cheek, but you get my drift. Back to the point. Whilst reading this gastronomic hyperbole I became aware that the background noise level in the pub had risen, not unusual you may say for a pub on a late Friday afternoon. However, it was the source of the increase in sonic activity that got my attention. In less than the time it takes to imbibe a beer, the ambience of the pub had transformed into a very large crèche ! A battalion of Boden clad small people treating the pub as their personal play zone, zipping along on their Nike Air Max’s, weaving around the tables, sometimes successful, sometimes not, while the parents sat at their tables on their phones tapping away oblivious to the carnage their offspring were creating. The double doors of the pub were opening and closing faster than in an old spaghetti western as more of the identikit mums and dads piled in. We sat taking in the tableaux around us. Don’t get me wrong, between us we have raised 8 kids, some still at school, but never did we allow them to behave in the manner in front of us, with the parents completely oblivious to what was going on. More importantly, making little or no effort to constrain their kids and teach them the importance of civility. You may argue that it’s the end of the week and everyone can have a bit of time to unwind, I get that. My point being that a pub is for everyone and that is the point, for everyone. Be respectful. We didn’t come out to be party to kids laying on the floor close to the entrance having a temper tantrum at full volume whilst the dad says sotto voce “don’t do that” and when ignored, the wailing banshee just increases the volume, goes back to his MacBook. This is a long review, I actually like the place, we were going to eat but changed our minds. My advice, visit before the Nappy Valley crew descend !

I was there with friends today and their 6 year old son had drawn on and ripped one of the (paper) menus, the person we spoke to was very rude about it and said they weren’t there to be written on.. fair enough but no need to be rude - he came over to the table, had a go at us and threw the old menu back at us. I went over to ask to speak to his manager and he told me he was the manager and that if I didn’t like his attitude to suck it up and get out of the pub. It’s very disappointing , we’ve been coming here for 5 years (didn’t recognise this guy) and the staff are usually excellent - especially with children.

Great lunch. Steak sandwiches and chicken club were perfect. Chilled atmosphere and friendly service.

Good Sunday roasts, good portion size.

My favourite - and therefore the best - pub in London. For bless all who sail in her.

Bruno is amazing at his job he brings food to your table very quickly- my pizza came I 12minutes and 20 seconds exactly and the football it great on the big projector screen (I support arsenal) as well as this the quiz nights are great as I always win so don’t be surprised when you come. The prizes are great and the rugby with France it also amazing and again don’t be surprised when France win against your team.

Tyler did a cracking job; given that our party includes a new-born and someone dealing with throat cancer, we were a bit nervous about coming out for lunch but we had no reason to be! The right mix of attentive and considerate, will be more than happy to come back for lunch again soon!

The Actress is a great pub. Bruno and his team do a brilliant job and always make us feel really welcome. It’s child friendly and shows live sport, and the pizzas are delicious!

Lovely pizza, quiet spot, fast service. A bit expensive.

After few months away, went back to have a pint, wings Wednesday were back too, they still fantastic. The pizza goes without saying!! Highly recommend

Went down to the pub on Friday for lunch, had a glass of wine with the pizza, and i must say, I haven’t eaten such a good pizza in a very long time. Well done chefs and to the guy that served us, who apparently was on his own. We will be back next Friday!

Pizza is just the best, fresh and delicious! Staff are very friendly and they show all the sports on the big screen! Highly recommend

Monday night, not that busy, but football is on, had 3 pizzas and a burger… Chorizo pizza is delicious, with a bit of chilli oil on top of it! Friendly staff

Great place, I’ve been visiting this pub for the last ten years on and off. The food is great, the staff is very friendly and the atmosphere is very cosy. It’s a fantastic place to get together with friends or watch football. I recommend visiting and having a chat with staff. The manager is doing a fantastic job.

Servings are massive and good amount of vegan options, nice pub and good drinks selection

Best pizza in East Dulwich! You must try it!!

Best pizza in East Dulwich! If you like football and pizzas, that’s the place to be. Staff very friendly! Highly recommended!

If you are in East Dulwich, love football and pizza, this is your place to be! Great beer selection and the staff is very friendly.

Pizza,pizza and more pizza!! Got there with my family and had 4 pizzas, just simply fantastic, team very welcoming! Highly recommended

I’m a very busy mother but I couldn’t go home without leaving a review , I don't use to come at the actress in a busy time like was today , but , my husband and I was delighted with the atmosphere! The actress is going to the right direction with the new management and team ,thank you so much . .

This pub used to be so busy and it’s a lot quieter then used to be, I always pop down as it’s my local and easily spend £50 if not more always buy food and today first time ever I really didn’t like the cocktail the staff member tried it and was like that’s disgusting and not drinkable so they agreed with me I asked for a wine instead to keep it safe and the manager then disagreed and said I must buy the wine I would of happily paid the difference or paid for the wine and had the awful cocktail removed however the manager who did not taste it said I had to pay and I just think he could of been nice to let me swap my drink considering how much I come in the pub and bring people to this pub safe to say I’d rather go give my custom to somewhere else like the bishop: it’s a shame that pubs start going quiet but they never see it’s the small things that keep a customer happy. He clearly don’t have the Christmas spirit anyway the food is nice wine is nice but I won’t be returning because he could of easily put that drink down as waste instead he rather stand polishing cutlery watching the football looking grumpy FYI he didn’t even sip the cocktail to say that there was nothing wrong with it. Would of stayed for more drinks but he annoyed me so we had a glass wine each and left to go to another pub with nicer customer service note to self never try something new in a pub cause u have to pay the over price for the taste. Even today spent £30 would of been £50 if he was a decent person to not make us pay for the AWFUL cocktail funny pubs don’t look after their regulars like they used to well sorry some pubs don’t!

The atmosphere is just amazing ! Did ask for the free álcool moktail , wasn’t good but I know it’s not the sites fault … the pizza is the best in town and the manager Bruno was really really nice to us ! Such gentlemen!!! I do recommend this place

Bruno is especially brilliant - always there for whatever you need! Dinner was wonderful and accompanied by fantastic service - will return again.

Great customer service (by Bruno) thank you! :)

Best pub in East Dulwich, maybe even South East London. Fantastic pizza and the staff are so so so friendly. Great deals coming up in January 👀. 10/10 would recommended to a friend ❤️

Always such a warm friendly welcome from Bruno. Highly recommend the burgers or pizza! Very child friendly too.

LOVE this pub! Staff are so friendly, the space is great and the food is even better. The PIzza's are a must!

The actress is one of those rare places that works for pretty much every occasion- over the years I’ve dashed in for a drink whilst I feed a baby, fed hungry kids pizzas lunches, taken parents for Sunday roast, had girls nights out and settled in to watch the football. Bruno and the team have a real knack for quietly and unassumingly making you feel totally welcome and at home. A real community hub (The pizza is excellent too!)

This is our favourite local pub. Bruno and his team always make us feel so welcome. We love The Actress!

It was really nice, I loved the mulled wine the most. The staff very welcoming and efficient..

Best scotch egg in East Dulwich! Bruno as ever is the host with the most, Lovely atmosphere and friendly staff!

Nice place to go with friends and family for a Sunday Roast. Great atmosphere and really nice people working there, specially Bruno that was really helpful and friendly with us.

Great service and food as always

Would have put no stars! Walked in only 3 tables taken and still the bar staff didn't even acknowledge us and we was standing infront of him at the bar for 10 minutes and yet nothing to busy chatting away to a group of ladies. We walked out in the end and the bloke still didnt acknoledge us. Very disappointed. Will never go back there. Would not recommend!

Just had an amazing lunch with my partner, pizza are sooo good!! The pub was quite busy, group of moms, families all at the same time, but the bartender still managed to make sure we had a great time! Definitely coming back

It is a very nice spot to watch football, eat a delicious homemade pizza with a cold beer ( amazing selection of beer ) and the staff are great and super friendly!

Decent pub, not much going on when I visited on a Thursday evening for drinks.

Busy pub, children friendly and great customer service 🎉😎

Wow what can I say, took some friends from the country down to the actress, which I have not been too sorry in a couple of months, And the menu has changed, we took advantage of knowing a couple of the staff and they recommended we share some dishes, I thought I would of needed more but no the plate size and the recommended sides were just right for four Bruno and Lucy recommended to share, the monk fish, with seaweed may, pastrami board, a club sandwich with a side of chunky and skinny fries, This went down a treat and to be honest my friends were full and tried to order half pints after their food, to which the staff laughed at them until they ordered a full pint Great team and service will def come back sooner rather than later as I saw you still have the sticky toffee pudding on the desserts,

Great place. Lunch, beer, coffee. Has it all. Cozy atmosphere. Friendly service

Just had drinks, lovely and spacious pub, decent selection of drinks

This place has a lovely, buzzy vibe and the staff are great. It is dog and child friendly with lots of outdoor tables. We wanted early evening food but couldn’t gauge the quality as not many people were eating. There were four of us dining and the food was so-so apart from my husband’s flat iron steak which was totally inedible. The steak looked attractive when it was served but my husband could only eat about 20% of it. It was completely raw in the middle, sinewy and gristly to the point where it was hard to even cut it. I gave my husband half my pie, which wasn’t delicious and we complained. The waitress said she’d get the manager but then came back and said my husband could have a free dessert. They literally couldn’t be bothered to speak to us. It was such a disappointment and I wouldn’t recommend this place to diners although for drinks it’s very nice.

Some of the friendliest staff in the area - with a special shout out to Ryan who went the extra mile for us! Great pizza, great for sports, and family friendly - especially during the day.

Lazy bar staff. Customer service very poor

The Actress in East Dulwich is a fantastic spot with some of the best pizzas around! The family-friendly vibe makes it a great place to bring the kids, and the beer garden is a lovely area to relax in. They offer a great selection of beers to suit all tastes, and the live sports add to the lively atmosphere. Whether you're there for a meal with the family or to catch a game with friends, The Actress delivers every time. Highly recommend!

Pizza was excellent. Lovely bar staff. Nice pub to visit will definitely be going back

The food was incredible delicious, the staff was very polite. I definitely will be back.

Very nice pub with decent choice of beers, good outdoor seating, board games and very nice vibe. Had the pizza and it was really bad. Had a margherita, it was quite small, the dough was flat and undercooked inside, probably old and cooked straight from the fridge. Toppings nothing special, very little sauce (more jarred marinara sauce than real tomatoes), some unidentified cheese and very little to nothing real mozzarella. You can get better pizzas in supermarkets nowadays... Sorry for being blunt but I am a southern italian and it hurts paying 12 pounds for a pizza like that.

It was very quiet. Still nice and quiet for the tennis and Cricket. Nice G&T and beer was OK.

Had a lovely Sunday roast yesterday at the actress :) great atmosphere was served by Abbie who was very friendly and helpful :)

Excellent pub. The manager is extremely helpful and friendly

Really nice pub, has a decent sized inside and outside area, lots of summer spritz, would go again!

Been going to this place since it changed from the uplands many years ago. Always a lovely welcome from Bruno, always a big smile and professional service from him. Lucy has always been a sweetheart with the same professionalism. Best pizza in East Dulwich 👍

Had a lovely evening at the actress, lovely food, great atmosphere and Abbie was very helpful, will be returning to try more dishes on the menu!

Love coming to the Actress. Food is great, atmosphere is good but the staff is why we come back. The guys there are always really nice, helpful and nothing is ever a problem. Big props to the staff. As a former hospo worker it is nice to see some good staff are still around.

Lovely pub with good baby changing facilities. Food has been average the two times I've been there

A bit pricy, but nice family pub and good atmosphere

Best and most friendly pub in the area by a mile! Lucy, the manager, is great and the pub is super inclusive. Whether you’re with the kids, the dog or the boys wanting to watch the football, the pub covers all bases at different times of the day. Highly recommend it if you haven’t been already!

The Actress never fails. Great drinks and amazing food (particularly the pizzas). We last came for my Dad’s birthday and he is gluten free and they were more than happy to make edits to his order to make it okay for him. The staff never fails to make our time there welcoming. Lucy, Chris and Jasmine in particular are amazing at their jobs and make the atmosphere brilliant. Forever one of my go to pubs. Thank you!

Really disappointing Sunday roasts. Tasteless, 2 tiny roast potatoes, spongey yorkie, bland bit of veg, dried out chicken and ‘gravy’ that was like weak dish water. 2/10 max and non existent service. Wasn’t told we had to order our food at the bar so sat there for 20 minutes before seeking out staff. Paid the service charge but christ knows what for.

Amazing local. Excellent pizza, great beer and wine choices, best place to watch the football in ED. And Bruno and the team are ace.

Brilliant staff, good food and children loved the Kids Table activities

Monday is a quiet day but I guess to be expected start of the week. The staff are attentive and really great natured servicing with a smile and light not forced banter. Ordered a couple of pizza's and in no time we was consuming them. Even when it came to closing time they didn't hurry you out as such and still had a laugh and a joke about chicken wings. Great place

Great place to spend time with friends

If you have kids (or even if you don't) the best pub in Dulwich. The staff are the nicest, kindest, calmest, coolest folk I've ever met! Great food and deals on food and drink, loads of entertainment and can deal with post nursery chaos in style! Very accommodating and on top of that, they helped us find our cat when we first moved in and it went walkies. What more can I say? 🥰

Very nice pub! Great for watching sports and Eli was very helpful and polite. Must visit !

Lovely food and great service! Abbie was very helpful!

Great family friendly pub! Best pizza in the area.

Great local pub with awesome Pizza.

Located at an affluent residential area mainly serving the community in the neighbourhood. Good to catch a bite and few glaases of beer.

Absolutely, darling! Wonderful waitress served me. Very kind and prompt. I was not expecting such lovely food. My wife absolutely loved the pizza. I myself am not so keen, although overall it seems like I have found a hidden gem. Marvellous!

Bruno and Lucy are amazing, loving bringing our 2yo over on a Friday for a little pizza before running home. Can’t thank them enough for having such a great vibe everytime I come in.

This is our local and we are extremely happy for that! Friendly staff, well maintained pub AND the best wood fired pizza in London

Great time especially one lady I believe is o e of the managers

It was very nice inside and very friendly, clean 👌

One of the finest establishments in East Dulwich Best Team and Best Managers Lucy & Bruno 🤘 They have the best bottomless pizza and prosseco deal on Saturdays

United we’re losing so I was quite annoyed, you could cut the frustration between my friends and Ten Hag with a saw!! The food however did lighten the mood, my only reservation I would say is there was simply a mere dusting of cheese on the mac n cheese side. Service was fantastic and I must say I would come back.

Two for £10 cocktails Wednesday to Friday after 7pm is just the best deal ever

Best spot in East Dulwich. Great atmosphere when the sport is on and their lunch menu is perfect mid week!! Defo recommend!

Could not speak more highly about this Pub. In particularly the super friendly and professional staff. The food was gorgeous. We hope to be able to visit you again.

Fantastic pint of Asahi hope they keep it on!

Always have a lovely time here. Lucy and Bruno are amazing, always warm and welcoming. The beers are great and food is delicious.

Good friendly service and good food.

I was at The Actress, sheltering from some rain while I was walking back home from a physiotherapy visit nearby, because of my foot injury. It was still quite early in the afternoon, so the kitchen wasn't open yet but some crisps and a pint was obviously available. They have an interesting menu so I will definitely be back for the food at another time. The staff was very friendly, it was a quiet time of the day with just a few guests and the atmosphere was relaxed and very enjoyable.

Had the best night at the Actress for Karaoke! The team and vibe was amazing will definitely be back

Ive recently moved to the area and stumbled upon this pub with my friend. We were blown away by how good the food is and the staff were absolutely lovely. We ended up blowing off our plans to stay and enjoy a bottle of Gavi and another delicious dish. Ive since been back with friends and it does not disappoint. My favourite pub hands down

I'm going to give 5 stars to be nice !. Had the roast Beef and it was below average . Chef was probably lazy as he grilled it ! Not worth the price !Come on Actress get your act together!! Roast Beef 1 star ⭐️

It has been the most pleasure visiting this pub, amazing food, service and staff. Bruno and Lucy are brilliant and they will look after you. I highly recommend this pub!

Good friendly service. Outside seating ideal for a hot day. Good pizza. Good decaf coffee. Convivial atmosphere

The usual sub standard range of beers from Heineken. All the cask ales were off as was the one non-Heineken keg.

Good choice of beer, pizza is really really nice and generously sized.

We went for chicken wings Wednesdays, a good place to hang out with friends but the food was lacking flavour, the mac and cheese cheese was slightly dry.

Nice pub with a small outside terrace sun trap and good for people watching. Big screen for football inside.