Focus: Pepper Saint Ontiod, Pepper St

It's Ashes season, and the Pepper Saint Ontiod pub near Crossharbour DLR station is soaking up a few of the locals whose minds have drifted from work to wickets.

Manager Barbaro Hapova said: "Since the cricket has been on, we've had a lot of groups of people coming in. Some have been bringing their laptops in and doing work while watching the action. It's a nice atmosphere."

The Pepper Saint Ontiod opened around nine weeks ago, replacing the old Pepper Street Puzzle pub. Barbaro and her team have opted for a homely look, serving up pints and grub in a space teeming with vintage lampshades, plush sofas and classic furniture.

Marketing manager Naomi Best said: "It's got a very relaxing feel to it. It's meant to have the atmosphere of an old, traditional pub. We have vintage furniture, and it's meant to look a bit quirky."

The pub is split into two levels. On the ground floor is the main bar, where diners can drink, sample the food or wander outside to the seating area looking out on Millwall Inner Dock. The views are even better upstairs on the balcony, which juts out from an upstairs room with a pool table and a big screen for sports.

Pepper Saint Ontiod is popular in the early evenings, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, but it's also home to a number of special events throughout the week.

Naomi said: "We've started doing barbecues on Thursday nights and during the day on Saturdays. We serve homemade burgers and sausages which you can eat here, but people have also been tempted to grab a burger as they go by.

"We do pub quizzes, and we're hoping to start some themes such as Mojito and comedy nights by September. We have a nice mix of customers coming in here, from businesspeople after work to residents on weekends. We're open for corporate functions, as well as birthdays and parties, and we have our Christmas showcase next month. We're trying to become more like a hub of the community."

A good way to get punters through the doors is by building up a popular menu. The pub is re-launching its list of offerings this week.

The popular Ontiod burger with hand-cut chips (£8.50) is a big favourite, as is the lemon and chive battered fish of the day (£8), but the pub also offers a range of sandwiches and salads, and it is launching a range of traditional Italian pizzas, prepared with fresh dough and toppings and cooked in a pizza oven on-site.

Fill yourselves up on all that, and throw in a rich chocolate fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream (£4.50), and your trip back to the office may be a little bit slower.

Barbaro said: "I want people to feel comfortable here.

"We're right next to the river, and it's beautiful on a hot day. But even if you sit inside, you can still enjoy a lovely view."

Pepper Saint Ontiod
21 Pepper Street
E14 9RP
0207 987 5205
antic-ltd.com/pepper