A reborn Camberwell corner pub from the Naughty Piglets crew, with serious cocktails, vinyl DJs, and a secret chef's table at the back.
The Bear is an expansive corner pub just west of Camberwell Green, on Camberwell New Road, that reopened in 2023 under Naughty Piglets founder Joe Sharratt and chef Teddy Roberts. The Nudge and Time Out both filed it quickly as one of the more exciting south London openings of its year. It looks like a pub and drinks like a cocktail bar.
The pitch is a neighbourhood local with ambition. Bare plaster walls, rotating statement artwork, a vinyl booth where DJs play most nights, and a carefully curated cocktail list sit alongside the beer and wine. Come for a well-made drink and a record, a low-key date, or a long Sunday. Skip it on a Wednesday if you want quiet, because that is Bring Your Own Bangers vinyl night.
The Bear is a corner pub on Camberwell New Road, just west of Camberwell Green. Walk in for the bar and the DJ nights. Book The Counter chef's table separately if you want the kitchen experience.
The room is a big corner pub stripped back to bare plaster, with statement artwork that changes every few weeks and a vinyl booth in the corner where the DJs set up. It feels unpretentious and a little raw, which is the intent.
At the back is The Counter, the open-kitchen chef's table that Time Out called the pub's secret weapon. It runs Tuesday to Saturday and is a separate experience from the main bar.
The bar takes its cocktails seriously for a pub, with a short, carefully made list. Reviewers single out the Negronis and Margaritas, backed by a wide range of beers, wines, and spirits. It drinks well above the usual local standard.
Order a Negroni or a Margarita from the cocktail list and let the bar steer you. If you are eating, book The Counter, where the open kitchen runs the food the team built its name on.
What to order
- 01
Negroni
- 02
Margarita
- 03
A glass of natural wine
- 04
A seat at The Counter
