The Nightingale is a traditional British pub at 97 Nightingale Lane in Balham, close to Wandsworth Common. Its welcoming bar, dining spaces and tucked away beer garden suit anything from a quiet weekday lunch to drinks with friends or a family Sunday meal.
Seasonal British cooking anchors the menu, with familiar pub dishes prepared as substantial meals rather than simple bar snacks. Current choices range from cider battered haddock with triple cooked chips to sausages and mash, burgers, steak, sea bass and fresh salads.
Starters and sharing boards make it easy to build a more informal meal, with options such as chicken wings, whitebait, baked Camembert and a garden mezze. Sunday brings traditional roasts with vegetables, gravy and Yorkshire pudding, including a plant based wellington alongside meat choices.
Frequently changing guest ales, wine, spirits and spritzes give the pub a rounded drinks offer, while puddings such as sticky toffee pudding, crumble and chocolate brownie provide a classic finish. Guests with allergies or dietary requirements should check the current menu and speak to staff before ordering.
Address: 97 Nightingale Lane, Balham, London SW12 8NX, England
The Nightingale Menu
Starters / Light Bites
Panzanella salad
Isle of Wight tomatoes, crutons, onions
Hot & spicy chicken wings
Crispy deep fried chicken wings in a hot sauce, tzatziki (508 Kcal)
Hummus & flatbread (Vg)
Wild garlic & pea hummus, toasted flat bread (vg) (374 Kcal)
Sausage roll
British pork sausage roll with HP sauce (559 Kcal)
Scotch egg
Pork, apple and leek scotch egg served with mustard mayo (463 Kcal)
Whitebait
Crispy breaded whitebait with tartare sauce (648 Kcal)
Sharers
Baked Camembert Sharer (V)
Rosemary & garlic, sourdough, spring crudité. Serves 2/3 people (865 Kcal)
Ploughman's Sharing board
Pork, leek & apple Scotch egg, sausage roll, Nantwch cheddar, Wiltshire glazed ham, crackling, pickled onion, piccalilli & sourdough. Sharer for 2/3 people (1819 Kcal)
Chicken wing sharer board
Hot and spicy sauce and tzatiki dip. Serves 2/3 people (1396 Kcal)
Garden Mezze sharer (V)
Wild garlic hummus, halloumi, crudites, Olives, pickled onions, pickled artichokes, grilled flatbread (1140 Kcal)
Mains
Fish & chips
Cyder battered haddock & triple cooked chips with tartare sauce, mushy peas (1090 Kcal)
British Short rib & brisket British beef burger
Sesame seeded bun, cheese, pickles, burger sauce, crispy onions, fries (1280 Kcal)
Plant based burger (Vg)
Sesame seeded bun, cheese, pickles, burger sauce, crispy onions, fries (Vg) (1076 Kcal)
Pork, apple & leek sausages & mash
Mash potato, gravy, crackling (929 Kcal)
Hertfordshire chicken Caesar salad
Cos gem, brioche croutons, soft St. Ewes egg, anchovies (701 Kcal)
8oz Bavette steak
8oz bavette steakk, triple cooked chips, peppercorn sauce (880 Kcal)
Spicy grilled chicken burger
Garlic mayo, lettace, pickles, ketchup, mayo, fries (1,227 Kcal)
Pan roasted seabass
Crushed Jersey royals, Isle of Wight tomatoes, Provencal sauce (744 Kcal)
Taboule & wild rocket salad Vg)
Bulgur, mint, peppers, parsley, lemon, grapes, onions
Sides
Triple cooked chips
ketchup & garlic mayo (539 Kcal)
French fries
ketchup and mayo (542 Kcal)
Crushed New poatoes
(1182 Kcal)
House salad
House salad (Vg) (149Kcal)
Puddings
Sticky toffee pudding
Hot sticky toffee pudding covered in toffee sauce served with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream (453 Kcal)
Crumble and ice cream
Apple & mixed berry crumble served with vanilla ice cream (265 Kcal)
Chocolate brownie
Hot chocolate brownie served with scoop of vanilla ice cream (480 Kcal)
Cheese board
Duo of british cheeses, chutney, celery and crackers (639 Kcal)
Judes ice cream
range pof flavors of Judes ice cream (123 Kcal)
Sunday Roasts
Served with goose fat roast potatos, roasted carrot, crushed root veg medley, savoy cabbage, gravy and double yolk Yorkshire pudding
Roast beef
21 day aged British rump of beef served with horseradish sauce (821 Kcal)
Roast pork
Hampshire pork loin, crackling and apple sauce (1040 Kcal)
Roast chicken
Half a British free-range chicken (918 Kcal)
Tomato & mushroom tart (Vg)
Roasted tomato, mushroom & vegan feta tart, vegan trimmings (VG) (1091 Kcal)
Share Menu
Sliders board
mini beef burgers with truffle fries (4327 Kcal) Serves 6
Plant Sliders board
mini plant burgers with curly fries (VG) (3242 Kcal) Serves 6
Fish & chips board
crispy battered haddock goujons with fries, lemon, tartar sauce (4142 Kcal) Serves 6
Scotch egg sharing board
with beer mustard (2157 Kcal) Serves 5
Sausage roll sharing board
with brown sauce dip (2676 Kcal) Serves 5
Spicy chicken wing sharing bowl
with hot sauce & mint yoghurt (2373 Kcal) Serves 4
Mezze sharing board
hummus, halloumi, crudites & olives (V) (1358 Kcal) Serves 4
Sunday Mains
Haddock & chips
Cyder battered haddock & triple cooked chips, tartare sauce, mushy peas (1090 Kcal)
Sausages & mash
Pork, apple & leek sausages mash potato, gravy and crispy pork crackling (863 Kcal)
Hertfordshire chicken Caesar salad
Cos gem, brioche croutons, soft St. Ewes egg, anchovies (701 Kcal)
British Short rib & brisket British beef burger
Sesame seeded bun, cheese, pickles, burger sauce, crispy onions, fries (1280 Kcal)
Plant based burger (Vg)
Plant burger topped with vegan chedder, watercress vegan mayo, red onion, lettuce, tomato, gherkins, and served with fries (vg) (928 Kcal)
Spicy grilled chicken burger
Garlic mayo, lettace, pickles, ketchup, mayo, fries (1,227 Kcal)
Sunday Sides
Triple cooked chips
Triple cooked chips served with ketchup and garlic mayo (539 Kcal)
French fries
French fries served with ketchup and mayo (542 Kcal)
Pig in blankets
Side portion of pigs in blankets (412 Kcal)
Cauliflower cheese
Cauliflower cheese side dish (v) (317 Kcal)
Sunday Puddings
Sticky toffee pudding
Toffee sauce, salted caramel ice cream (453 Kcal)
Crumble and custard
Apple & mixed berry crumble, vanilla ice cream (450 Kcal)
Chocolate brownie
Brownie, vanilla ice cream (480 Kcal)
Cheese board
Duo of british cheeses, tomato chutney, celery and crackers (639 Kcal)
Judes ice cream
range of flavors of Judes ice cream (123 Kcal)
Spritz & Summer Sips
Hugo Spritz
Gin, prosecco and elderflower classic
Pimms Fizz
Nothing more British than a Pimms in summer
Aperol Spritz
Drinking in South london but feeling like you deserve Italian sun
Picante Spritz
Tequila spritz with a chilli punch
Raspberry Honeybee
Vodka, honey and flavours of a summer day
White Sangria
Lillet, peach liquer and tonic make for a refreshing summer drink
Rhubard Rose
Rose vermouth and tonic
Sparkling Margarita
The taste of the summer
Alcohol Free Spritz
Berry Hugo 0.0%
Fruity Hugo with no hangover
Amalfi Spritz 0.0%
Taste of Italian sun with none of the morning after regret