Wattenden Arms in Croydon

Great pub. Love the history on the walls.

I have not visited this pub for several years but acting on a friend’s recommendation booked a table for 4 of us for dinner on a Saturday night with another 2 friends joining us later for drinks. The service was excellent and the landlord really made us feel welcome. The food was delicious ( we had 4 different meals) and all good value for money especially the hanging beef kebab; the CAMRA fans appreciated the draught beers on offer and the draught ciders and glasses of Malbec were also a really good quality. Our dog also really appreciated being offered water and treats and we all liked the decor inside and outside.

We (a group of 4) visited for lunch, as the pub was a convenient stop on our London Loop walk. We arrived at 1:15 - it didn’t appear to be overly busy, with one large party of about 10 people dining in the main pub and around 20 people in the garden After ordering our drinks, we found a table outside. The table was quite dirty with food from its previous incumbents. We asked for it to be wiped over, which the bar server did quickly - unfortunately sweeping some of the debris into the lap of one of our group. We placed a food order of 4 jacket potatoes from the small bites menu. These took over 45 minutes to arrive, and sadly, when they did we were disappointed: the bottoms were burnt (1 of the group didn’t mind this!) and the amount of filling - cheese in particular - was a long way from being generous. What we had hoped would be a short stop on our walk ended up being an hour and a half and left us feeling very underwhelmed.

First time back to the Wattenden Arms in over 30 years. It has certainly changed in that time and had a lick of paint to spruce it up. On this particular Sunday, most patrons were involved in a pub quiz so there was plenty of room in front bar. The pint(s) of Harvey's Sussex Bitter I consumed were excellent as we got comfortable in the old leather chairs for a few hours. The service was warm and friendly and it was a pleasure to be back after all those years. The only issue is the parking across the road which is a bit limited and tight.

Friendly staff and nice pub however food wasn't great.We ordered two veggie club sandwiches, the bread was so dry and overdone it was actually painful to eat and the chips were soggy.

This pub is an absolute gem—hands down the best I’ve experienced in a long time! From the moment you arrive, its charming exterior draws you in, and once inside, the warm, beautifully curated decor makes you want to stay for hours. If you're local (or strolling around Kenley), this is an absolute must-visit. The food you may ask? Spot on! We enjoyed a fantastic meal in the garden, with perfectly cooked dishes and those chips—utterly delicious. We adored the little area dedicated to cakes, though after our sandwich, we could only manage a coffee (but what a lovely coffee it was served with cute little smarties as a treat!). It’s the little details that make this place exceptional—from the seriously gorgeous handwash in the bathrooms to the fresh-smelling, fabric napkins that add a touch of luxury. And the staff? Absolutely brilliant—friendly, attentive, and adding to the wonderful experience. A true hidden treasure—I can’t wait to go back!

My parents took me and my son who is 2 here for Mother’s Day breakfast. I have previously worked in the wattenden for years, and this was my first visit back since it has been taken over. Firstly there was no children’s menu and every table that was full had a child on it. Tables that came in after us were served before us, and took 20 minutes to get a drink. It took an hour for us to get our food and when we did the eggs were cold, the bacon was rock solid and covered in grease, we also asked for regular toast instead of sourdough and this never came. The waiter bought out more bacon and eggs but these were just as bad. I was so disappointed at the poor service, and very poor food. We was told that the kitchen was not as it should be by the waiter and I then learned that Helder was no longer there, so this would explain this as he is an excellent chef. The Wattenden and the new additions that have been made look great, but it has lost its feel of the regulars pub which I used to love working in and spending time..

Been here a few times now and the food has always been excellent. Staff are all friendly. Love the history found on the walls

Went for the first time last night. The pub has some lovely RAF memorabilia and a vintage feel. It is not a restaurant masquerading as a pub like a chain gastropub, but feels more like a proper pub; it's noisy and welcoming, a couple of Tvs on etc. People just having a drink and watching the footy.The food was excellent too. We'll be back!

Went for the first time last night. The pub has some lovely RAF memorabilia and a vintage feel. It is not a restaurant masquerading as a pub like a chain gastropub, but feels more like a proper pub; it's noisy and welcoming, a couple of Tvs on etc. People just having a drink and watching the footy.The food was excellent too. We'll be back!

Been twice over the last year with family - most recent time was last week. Fantastic service, beautifully cooked and presented food, reasonable prices and ambience was spot on. Highly recommend a visit!

Fantastic breakfast. Loads of food and worth the money. Dog friendly too and brilliant staff

Myself, husband, daughter and doggy went for a treat breakfast on Saturday and were very impressed by the food and service. We were greeted at the bar, shown to a table and waited on by lovely Thierry who looked after us beautifully. The "full Kenley breakfast" was lovely. Perfect poached eggs, and double everything. Very filling and throughly enjoyed. Looking forward to our next visit.

Lovely pub with great food, perfect location for Sunday lunch with the family

I love the fact that finally, we have a decent local pub with friendly staff and lovely food. And certainly the best local BLT's and amazing chips! Thanks for turning it around.

What an uplifting refreshing experience of the Wattenden Arms today. The referb is long over due, clean, like the green and the reflection of the aerodrome. Know this pub for 15 years the ups the downs. Wishing current Management and staff all the best. Made to feel welcome, a friendly welcoming experience.

Lauren and the team at The Wattenden were flexible and very helpful with our booking for food and drinks for 30-40 guests. On the day, the service was excellent and communication was good all round. Highly recommended

Great pub, love all the dogs, food is great. Highly recommend.

Just enjoyed a lovely morning walk and stopped at Wattaden Arms for a coffee. Was warm and welcoming with open fire. Much nicer than stopping at a big chain coffee shop.

Free parking, register number plate on arrival. Open fires burning, nice decor, welcomed by Lauren - so lovely! She really wanted our visit to be as perfect as possible and it was. Good selection choices on menu, food served hot and delicious. Lighter bites were very generous too, superb. I’m so lucky to live locally, I will return. The Watty is rather tucked away but worth searching for.

Had superb lunch here today. Light bites were very generous portions. Made so welcome by Lauren, lovely atmosphere, and will definitely be coming back.

A classic pub reborn. Legendary Ham Hock. Nothing like it anywhere before.

Great country style pub with good food and atmosphere. Breakfast available, ideal for dog walkers

Lovely little find. Out for a walk with son & son in law. Very quaint pub. Lovely atmosphere so stayed for a afternoon snack. Club sandwiches, onion soup, thick cut chips & even do GF chicken goujons, all delicious. Staff very friendly. Would definitely go back for their Sunday roast & other meals.

Lovely food and really attentive service. A great environment for snacks or a full meal.

Excellent service, lovely pub and great place for food! We will be back!

We randomly drove past The Wattenden Arms just before lunch time and were drawn in by the cute exterior of the pub. Inside was just as nice! It was clean and cosy with jazz music and a fireplace that we were lucky enough to sit by. The lady behind the bar was friendly and helpful. We had some coffee and warmed up by the fire before continuing on with our day. There was a lovely country vibe and we felt very welcome. Would definitely visit again.

Warm and welcoming, good range of drinks and lovely place to break up a walk. Looking forward to trying the food sometime soon.

The Wattenden is a historical, charming, good old fashioned pub. It's cheerful, warm and comfortable. Lauren and the team are attentive, very welcoming and friendly! Great range of beers, wines and spirits with good food to go with it!

Popped in for a light lunch, chose the goujons with salad which were delicious and very filling. Exceptional service from Lauren who was cheerful, friendly and couldn’t have been more helpful.

After last year's experience I was in two minds about going back, but the pub has been transformed. Lovely pub now, with good food and big helpings, friendly service. Plenty of room in car park. Will go back.

Popped into The Wattenden after a walk around Kenley Aerodrome on the off-chance of getting some lunch. It was very busy and fully booked, which is testament to how great this place has become! We managed to get a table in the bar area after a short wait and we both had the Club Sandwich with chips. I have to say, it was probably the best sandwich I have ever had in pub! Good quality bread, good quality ingredients, far superior to the bland sandwiches you get in a lot of pubs nowadays. The bar area got more and more busy whilst we were there, but that just adds to the atmosphere and shows that the revival of this local pub is well and truly on its way. This is my second review of The Wattenden in the space of a few months but certainly worthy of it. Looking forward to spending more time in the Watty in 2025!

We recently had a family Christmas meal at the Wattenden and had a lovely afternoon! The food was great and the service from Lauren and George was excellent - nothing was too much trouble and they both always had a smile on their face! Will definitely return.

We have visited numerous times over the years but were previously always left underwhelmed or disappointed. Yesterday we visited for the first time since the pub was taken over by new management and we were so impressed! The food was lovely and served hot. Our children’s’ meals came quickly which is always a god send! The staff were so attentive and polite and the atmosphere was warm and calming. Well definitely be coming back more often!

Went for Christmas dinner and received a first class experience all round .service ,food , ambience and drinks .great price for Christmas day very reasonable had good look around in the area before hand. And had Sunday roast a month prior to test the waters , excellent food like a home cooked roast

Hear the foods good but it ain’t a pub no more the bar is a mess hard to get a drink at then with a small rush. Too painful literally was quicker to leave for another pub which I did

Very friendly staff but the food leaves alot to be desired. We had fish and chips and burgers, they weren't good. Not expensive so maybe you get what you pay for.

What a difference. Just had the most lovely evening with a group of 12 people. The service was fantastic, with all orders coming out quickly and separate payments for each person. Totally went above the expected. The portion sizes were very generous. The food was great. Nice brass band playing Xmas songs for a short while.

Lovely staff. so welcoming. brilliant food and drink too.

A real pub. Welcomes dogs . Good food. Lots of links to RAF Kenley and Battle of Britain.

Lovely pub with service to match. Food exceptional with good selection of ales.

We went here for a family breakfast. Incredible food, service was amazing, staff were lovely (I think they have new owners). We will definitely return. Have also tried the new lunch menu - very good value for money

The Watty got even better! Wattenden has been our local for years. The new tenants have really made some positive subtle changes, giving the old place a freshness she greatly needed. Just enjoyed an excellent Christmas Fayre meal, so much delicious food. Fantastic staff, great service, delicious food, wonderful atmosphere. Thank you all at the Wattenden!

Food was very acceptable this evening , service pleasant. But a wine list of 3 white wines is not ideal. I don’t drink Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio which left a Sauvignon Blanc (my favourite) at £32 a bottle. Seriously, I eat out a lot in London, these are London prices, we are in Kenley. You need to up your wine game. Chilean would be cheaper and perfectly acceptable.

Enjoyed a smashing 3 course Christmas meal with local friends. It was absolutely delicious, great value and the best evening! Amazing service to boot!

Visited for a Christmas beer with friends. Lovely decorations and atmosphere but for me the drinks seemed quite expensive. £6.04 for a beer and £10.30 for a small glass of prosecco just too much.

We had lunch on 10th December and it was very lively and busy. The food was very nice and hearty traditional dishes and the deserts the same. If your looking for a small Cosy place with good food and service, then this is your place 👌

Such a lovely pub & restaurant. Host opened up for us and was so lovely to our 1yo daughter. Food was 5* and ambience was so warming. They had a mulled wine type of spell very festive. I would encourage you to book as it seems popular. It will be my "go-to" spot. Can't believe I'ved lived here 2yrs and only just found out about it lol. Fish&chips was divine

Just had the Daily special , Portugueses fish soup with olive toasted bread !!! Wow …. Check their specials board before you order :)

Called in today with a couple of pals after a walk at Kenley airfield. Very nice experience! Food, service and welcoming excellent.!

Really pleased we tried the Wattenden Arms. We haven't been before. We felt is was reasonably priced for delicious freshly prepared food. It's a lovely pub with a great atmosphere. Very family and dog friendly. I would highly recommend. There were 7 of us, we had 2 shared mixed roasts. Plus 3 kids meals that were freshly prepared and good value with pudding included in the price. It was a busy Sunday afternoon but the service was very attentive, with friendly and helpful staff that had everything under control. We will definitely be going again.

Why do some pub chefs send out dishes (like Lasagne), in scalding hot side dishes instead of putting it on the plate for you? It is a disappointing attitude towards customers that I and all my friends deplore, so Lasagne is off the menu for us. That said, the food was good and the service staff very kind and helpful, the renovations inside and out are amazing too, we will definitely visit again .

We have just returned from having a great lunch at the ‘Watty’. It was a hugely enjoyable experience being greated by friendly, professional staff and enjoying a first class meal. The waiters were very attentive and the food exceeded expectations. The ‘Watty’ has been our local now for 50+ years and our last visit was one of the best. If you haven’t tried it yourselves we recommend you give it a go - you won’t be disappointed.

Smashing Sunday lunch with the family and great background music.

A lovely pub for a relaxed drink

A group of 5 of us visited last night and if you haven't tried it yet you are in for a wonderful treat . The place looks lovely, the food is fabulous and the service is really top class , special thanks to Lauren who could not do enough for us without being intrusive. I had the beef sweker It was amazing,well done to the chef cooked to perfection. We have already booked again for our Christmas get together and the set Christmas menu looks great .

Visited for the first time today. Food was really good, hot, nicely presented, and with no delay. Service was good. Ambience is nice with the BGM kept low. And good beer. Sadly we only have three birthdays between us so we think we'll have to come to celebrate saints' days too.

4 of us had lunch on Wednesday - excellent food and service Good value for money.

Lived here for 25 years and first time at the Wattenden Arms. New owners and refurbishment have made it into a very nice pub and restaurant with good food, friendly staff and welcoming to dogs. Highly recommended.

Delicious jacket potatoes for lunch, muddy dogs welcomed and service was great. Definitely a regular stop for us

Great food and service, family friendly atmosphere- perfect

Enjoyed a lovely meal today for Lunch at the Wattenden Arms in Kenley. Great food, friendly and efficient service and a relaxing atmosphere.

A lovely typical country pub with memorabilia from Kenley Airfield. Food was great and the service was very good. My friend and I had a most enjoyable lunch. Would go back again.

We have been to this pub twice recently and can say it does not disappoint!! The food is lovely, fast to be served and reasonable price for the outstanding quality. The staff are all so welcoming and friendly, making the effort to give the best service possible. The seating is comfortable and the tables are all spotless. Would strongly recommend!!!

Visited for the 1st time for lunch this week. The staff are excellent; friendly and welcoming. The food is good quality and way above any other local restaurant / pub. The club sandwich and fish and chips were very good. The pub is clean and tastefully decorated. A hidden gem and we look forward to returning.

Had a fantastic time on Friday, really nice little gem. It was warm and cosy and we really liked the halloween/ autumn decorations especially the witch as you go through the front door! After ordering we were given bread while we waited. The waitress made a point to introduce herself and welcome us to the area after we told her we just moved nearby. She was really great and couldn't do enough for us, you can tell she genuinely loves her job which is really refreshing. I can see us soon becoming regulars here. The menu is really varied and i cant wait to come back and try the steak on the stone.

This is the first time we had been to the Wattenden in many years but had read good reviews. They’re well deserved!! A really friendly and buzzy atmosphere and an efficient and friendly greeting from Lauren. Between our group we tried the fish and chips, sausage and mash and the leek pie. All were delicious. Recommend the Harveys beer too. Lauren, as everyone has said, is so friendly, helpful and cheerful. We’ll definitely be back soon.

Nice visit to the pub, even though we went in just after breakfast had just finished they served us two lovely full-English breakfasts. Food was lovely, great service, nothing too much trouble for them. Really good experience.

My partner and I went to Wattenden Arms pub for lunch a couple months ago. It was supposed to be a little outing - somewhere local, to have some lunch and get some fresh air as we just had a baby a couple weeks ago and this was the first opportunity we had to get out. However, we were extremely disappointed in the service and the quality of the food. Firstly, the food took almost an hour to arrive. We weren’t notified of any wait times and it wasn’t busy as there was one, maybe two other tables, who ordered food around the same time we did. I also noticed one of the tables who ordered ahead of us received their meals (sandwiches) and they had to send them back due to the sandwiches having barely any filling in them. I overheard that it would take about 15 mins for the new sandwiches to be sent out. However, we had eaten and left quicker than the time it took for them to receive their new sandwiches! I’d say they would’ve waited minimum an hour for 2 sandwiches. Which is ridiculous. We ordered: Onion rings 3.50 - these were the best thing from our whole order. Chilli Jam Glazed Sausages 6.50 (Our pork, red wine & fennel sausages tossed in a sticky chilli jam glaze.) This sausage wasn’t a red wine and fennel sausage - it was an ordinary banger sausage which had been sliced up with a load of chilli jam dumped on top (not glazed). Rosemary & buttermilk coated chicken burger smothered with Frank’s® Spicy Chicken Burger 15.50 (RedHot® sauce, oozing cheese sauce and a garlic & herb glaze.) The chicken piece was clearly out of a packet from the supermarket, not rosemary & buttermilk but a breaded southern chicken breast piece. The burger had ketchup, a bit of lettuce and a spot of franks sauce - that is it! I could’ve made this at home if I wanted something below sub-par for a burger; nothing that was stated on the menu item came out on the plate. Chicken & Chorizo 9.00 (spinach and a chorizo, chilli & tomato sauce. Grilled chicken breast served with smashed baby potatoes, spinach and a chorizo, chilli & tomato sauce.) Firstly, the two chicken breasts were minuscule and were well overcooked as well as dry. There was no spinach or chorizo and the potatoes were standard baby potatoes. Once again, many things that were stated on the menu were missing or different. When I asked the server about the missing chorizo, we were told that the chorizo is defrosting so they added a couple sun-dried tomatoes instead. If we knew that was going to be the case, we would have opted to change our order. No one explained this to us in advance of ordering and the waiter quickly cleared off before I had a chance to respond to his explanation of the missing chorizo. I questioned the staff on this when they came to give me my burger - as this came out 10 minutes after everything else… No one came back to check on our food and we didn’t see any servers or workers from the time we started to eat to the time we left. At this stage we just wanted to leave as we were so disappointed and a bit annoyed at what just happened. If there was a wait in the kitchen or items missing from the menu, this should've been communicated with us from the start. If the person making the food wasn’t capable of producing the menu items then perhaps the kitchen should’ve just been shut as the food that was coming out was actually very poor. We have eaten at this pub for lunch/dinner before and usually find the food and service very good and are happy to pay good money for it, hence us coming back again. However, on this occasion we found ourselves annoyed and frustrated having to pay for such service and poor quality. I emailed them directly with this feedback before posting a review online to see what their response would be and I’ve not heard anything.

Just visited after not being fair a little while. Had a great experience, I believe the lady who looked after us was called Lauren, she was really attentive and friendly. We enjoyed looking at all the memorabilia on the walls. Highly recommend.

Fabulous family lunch to celebrate Mum’s birthday. Great service and delicious food. We were made to feel very welcome and Mum enjoyed the candle in her dessert. Would highly recommend.

A very pleasant evening. Good wine and good food. As a group we tried different dishes, fish & chips, burger, chicken burger and pie. All very good and reasonably priced. Noted they do a roast on a Sunday and breakfast too. More ale options for our beer drinkers in the group would be good. We will be back!

Great as always food hot and well presented friendly stuff love location near world war two airdrome ..lots of history in the pub

Hidden little pub with great food.

Really lovely breakfast and great service, I had eggs Benedict and kids had full breakfast, all really good quality ingredients and worth the money!

Fantastic english pub With photos of the air crew that used it in the 1940s

Had a family meal here today and couldn't be happier with both the service and quality of food.Pub has been taken over by new management recently and spruced up both Inside and out.Prices have increased a little but food portions generous and there is more use of fresh ingredients with freshly made sauces etc..quality of meat very good especially the roast beef!.Waitress friendly and attentive will definitely dine here again..a very successful meal 😀. Would be nice to have a response to this review from new management being a local..

Sad to see the young members of staff over worked and not supported by there management team the last couple times i have came in it looks like management finish as the pub is getting busy which they are left to deal with the mass income of customers management do better and support your staff

Lovely food, good service, very nice pub

Ate here with some friends, none of us were blown away with our meals they were just ok. Over priced for what they were and the options were limited. Would be good to see more variety and healthier options on the menu. Maybe some midweek deals like other pubs have. The service was good but I wouldn’t eat here again based on the cost.

Hadn’t been to the Wattenden for some time. Popped in today and very impressed. New decor, new menu (very tasty) and great service. Well done to the new team, will definitely be back again.

We had not been since the revamp and were happy with our experience. Thought the food was great especially the proper French onion soup. I also really like being given a portion size choice on some dishes; that's a real plus for us. Having a proper material napkin was a nice upmarket touch too, We also thought the pricing was fair and comparable to other independent pubs. The staff were attentive as was the manager. We all enjoyed it and will be back when next in the area visiting our friend.

A bit of an off day on Sunday I think, great decor and location. Mix up over table allocation and food orders and all a tad cold. Friendly young staff still obviously getting used to ways of working / roles. Elegant response to feedback from the new manager / owner. I look forward to going back soon and updating my review. All the best with the new venture.

Went in last Friday first time since revamp. What a let down. First shock the price of drinks over £13 for a pint and a g&t. Food prices expensive. Not keen on the green paint job or the surly bar staff. Such a shame.

Wanted this place to be good to great, booked based on recommendation and previous reviews. Location and decor good, friendly staff, although a couple seemed to need some more basic training. We had booked, as it was a wonderful sunny day, we asked to sit outside, Shown to a table in the covered area, got settled, tried to order but staff member had no pen, eventually we ordered. Drinks came after some time. Then a very old gent came and sat at our table, telling us he was using the smoking area, we apologised and moved in side. Why did the staff sit us there…… Our food took ages, eventually our ‘hot appetisers’ arrived cold (obviously been hanging around on pass) with one of the main courses I sent back, big mistake as I got it back again cold, sent it back, unbelievably the same plate came back a third time now warm (re heated / fried) we were really hungry after 90 mins so I just ate most of it. If it hadn’t been so tired and dry from all the hanging around in the kitchen and re warming it probably would have been a delicious homestyle burger. I really should have been given a new plate of food. The chips were good but I think re fried as very very hot. My guests meal was at least fresh / warm, but he described it as ok but bland. The next table had issues with their Sunday roasts, not sure what…. Wanted the Eton Mess for dessert, but got fed up of waiting to be served again…. I paid and we left, underwhelmed by the experience, a waste of our time and £. Every pub, restaurant has off days, this wasn’t the “finest hour” 1345 /1515 28th July 24. Such a shame…. Nice friendly staff and inviting decor. The cider and wine were good, nice and cold. Might give it another try sometime, but won’t be rushing back, plenty of other options nearby.

Loving the new menu. Looking forward to the pub getting local support as it gets established as a new private enterprise. Great face-lift and friendly staff.

Food delicious ans good value, bur service very slow

Very quiet but we were 12, the others ate and were very happy with the choice and quality

Food was served warm and was not served to the whole table at the same time took around 10 mins to arrive. Found the staff rude, not good value for money...

Made a booking to watch the football. Ordered food, food was small, tasteless and burnt not worth the money. When I asked if they could put on the football they said they are a classic pub and they don't have a license. I explained I had a booking expressing to watch the football and it stated live sports area. The lady said the booking team are rubbish we are a classic pub and did not apologise and walked off. Not a great experience.

Had a daughter birthday dinner was ok ✅ quick service

Top class service, good beer and excellent home cooked food - will be coming back!

Had a fantastic evening with super service from Georgia

This may be the greatest pub I’ve ever been to in my entire life. I really love the music when Imagine Dragons play. They have always been my favourite band. Big shout out to Georgia who always looks after us. Thank you

Lovely country pub with great menu and lovely staff!

I would give zero stars if possible. My husband booked a table on line this morning. We arrived and we're told we couldn't have a table when my husband said we had booked for drinks only. The woman waved pieces of paper at us telling us "I'm sorry but all the tables are booked for food, you haven't got a table for drinks. You can drink outside" It is pouring with rain. We declined that 'offer' and began to leave. We weren't out of the door and we could hear her talking about us. Very rude.

Mother’s Day Lunch at the Wattenden Arms today was lovely. The food was excellent especially my fish and chips ! An excellent time was had by all. Thank you !!

Both myself and another had a meal at this pub and both had the same. I had food poisoning and the same of my guest. I will never eat here again, the authority has been informed. Having been informed you are forewarned, we were so unwell from this kitchen. A real shame standards have dropped.

Good food, reasonable price. Big portions

Nice and friendly, food nice. Remote location with 3 hrs only free parking if using the pub seems odd given location and dog friendly pub.