The Gowlett Arms

Featured reviews

• R

  RN

  ·1 month ago

  “Pizzas here are actually delicious, and I wouldn’t usually go for a thin crust. They use really good ingredients. Lovely and quiet on a Saturday afternoon with quick service. Can’t ask for much more!”

• S

  Sean W

  ·6 months ago

  “Quite an average experience. A fairly generous rating as the pub is well kept, the pint of Red Stripe was good and well priced, and you can’t knock a pub with billiards. The lady behind the bar was really rude though. Not even a word to ask what I wanted or a word of thanks. It was like she was doing me a favour making me a drink. Sadly it the pretence here didn’t reflect the reality of being a backwater of Peckham. Thankfully not a part of the world I need or want to return too. Could be a good pub in another part of the world with friendly staff.”

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• R

  Ray Coman

  ·7 months ago

  “Lovely local pub with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Great place to meet friends for a drink and unwind. The warm lighting and cosy interior make it feel particularly comfortable in the evening. Always a pleasant spot to drop into.”

• L

  Lucy Evans

  ·9 months ago

  “A good selection of drinks including a really decent wine list at reasonable prices. Was really busy when we visited early Sat eve and nowhere to sit plus incredibly noisy with no music in the background. For me it lacked a bit of welcoming pub feel and more a hipster meet up. Friendly enough, but not for me.”

• L

  London City Pubs

  ·9 months ago

  “Ahh the Gowlett Arms, just a wonderful pub in Peckham. I've had an occasional but very rewarding relationship with this place for more than 10 years now. The beer selection's always good, and on my last trip in there was a beer festival in the back courtyard, with 10 kegs on the go offering some great choices. The bar's well-stocked too, with mainstream ales including Harveys and two from Timothy Taylor. The pizzas are also a serious attraction, some of the best I've had in any pub in the City. The pub's an attractive building in a residential corner, if you look closely you'll find a Charrington's House of Toby sign on one wall and there are outdoor tables for summer drinkers. Inside, a vaguely tartan-themed carpet warms the floor, and booth-style seating at the back of the pub welcomes large groups of punters. There's a bar billiards table to entertain you as well. At the other end, there's a DJ booth, high tables and a corner next to the toilets has a piano and fireplace. Although its next to the loos, this is my favourite spot, with just one low slung sofa it's a bit of a snug. I'm a big fan of the Gowlett, it just works for me. It's a mix of urban cool with older settled calm thrown in for good measure.”

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• R

  REG

  ·10 months ago

  “The Gowlett arms is a good pub. They had a dj on a sunday playing relaxed tunes & a range of board games. Quite busy but space to sit on a Sunday afternoon. They sell pizza here but I didn't try it, just had some nice pints and crisps instead. Staff were friendly and pints are reasonably priced.”

• S

  Sarah Garbutt

  ·1 year ago

  “Been coming to this pub for years and despite feeling like everyone else is a couple of decades younger than me (when did that happen?) I still love it. Good beer garden with heaters in the winter, and a very cosy vibe. I don't know how people can play the pool table (which you can only access from one side) but as I don't play pool it doesn't bother me! Proud to call it my local”

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• L

  London Pub Map

  ·1 year ago

  “🚇 Peckham Rye 🍺 £5.80 Cruzcampo Tucked away on a quiet backstreet at the southern tip of Peckham, you’ll find The Gowlett Arms. The nearest station is Peckham Rye. The pub’s been around since 1883, named after the street it sits on — itself named after Henry Gowlett Smallman, a local builder and publican. After closing in 2017, it thankfully bounced back just a few months later in February 2018. Inside, it’s all traditional charm with a rustic twist. The single bar is painted pale blue, L-shaped, and glowing under spherical pendants. To the left you’ll find a fireplace and piano, while opposite sit a few poser tables and a DJ booth ready for the weekend. Head right and things open up — loads of seating, leather banquettes, lovely wall panels, a bar billiards table, and a tartan carpet that’s an absolute showstopper. Out back there’s a small walled garden with decking, while the front has plenty of chunky benches for street-side pints. The beer list is stacked with familiar favourites plus three cask ales for the more adventurous. I grabbed a Cruzcampo — a cracking pint at a reasonable price. Food’s all about pizza here, with ten options to from, all are around the £10 mark, and reviews are very favourable. I arrived just after 12pm on a warm, cloudy Saturday lunchtime. Doors had only just opened, but a few locals were already settled in. The vibe was laid-back and friendly, with a cosy neighbourhood feel. The service was spot on too — a friendly team member made me feel right at home. All in all, this is a belter of a backstreet boozer. Proud as punch on its corner, warm and welcoming inside, and great to see a bar billiards table. Great beers, friendly service, and plenty going on at the weekend. Loved it here — whack it straight on your must-visit list. 📅 30th August 2025 If you want to see all my pub reviews in one place, head to @londonpubmap on Instagram or Facebook. 🍻”

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• B

  Ben Slater

  ·4 years ago

  “Nice pub, good atmosphere and with tasty pizzas :) There was four of us with baby and toddler and we had a fun time. Also recently refurbed - there is a little outside back beer garden, and seating outside front, good toilets and room for decks & speakers”

• M

  Marco Sensi

  ·7 years ago

  “Been a few times and the gowlett arms is becoming synonymous with pizza night! They are wonderful - crisp, light (well yknow... for a pizza). A decent pub otherwise - better when it's a bit cooler outside (was quite warm indoors in the midst of a heatwave), can get pretty rammed and noisy Friday/weekends.”