I have to be honest with you, Peckham is not somewhere I often frequent but as a friend recently moved near the area, what better chance to explore I thought. After a quick check on Twitter, as Peckham Bazaar was closed, the next best option seemed to be Pedler in (is it in or on?) Peckham Rye.

It’s a cute little place both on the inside and out. Lots of miss-matched furniture and bits and bobs everywhere gave the feeling of being in a trendy furniture shop. The music playlist was particularly noteworthy – they were banging out some serious tunes. Along with some super friendly staff, it had the potential to be the perfect lunch, but the food fell a bit flat which was a shame.

The menu reads very well indeed, but it didn’t quite deliver. I opted for the turkey schnitzel (£11) which was gigantic. The breadcrumb coating was crisp but the turkey was dry and stringy round the edges. The shroom gravy was surprisingly flavourless and it was just a bit grey and watery. A side of chips (£4) were the type you’d buy in frozen and dunk in the fryer.

The beef burger (£12) was a little too big, it was near enough the size of a bowling ball. It was therefore very crumbly and the centre had more a steak tartare texture; a thinner patty would have been far more evenly cooked. Totally edible mind, just not perfect.

If Pedler was in Soho say, I don’t think it would last five minutes. Quite simply the food isn’t as tasty as the menu promises. But out in the sticks, in Peckham, it made for some light relief. And it was really reasonably priced too. That giant schnitzel (which was so big I couldn’t finish it) was only 11 quid, which is great value. I’ve been to worse places, but I’ve certainly been to heaps that are better.

5/10