The greatest joy I get from food blogging is discovering new and exciting food venues cropping up all over London and its suburbs. Since I moved to Croydon, I have been exploring a lot of Boxpark and Balham. So my happiness quotient increased ten-fold when I discovered through my fellow bloggers croydonfoodies that a new, modern pub had opened in my neck of woods!

Miss P’s Barbecue takes over a location which was previously occupied by one of the oldest pubs in Croydon – legendary The Cricketers near Lebanon Road. A much loved local haunt, Miss P’s clearly has some big shoes to fill here.

But judging by our first visit (the first of many, I am sure), locals will have nothing to worry about. Owned by the charming and astute Gianluca Ivaldi who grew up locally, he is very mindful of the historical significance and sentiments attached to this place whilst keeping a sharp eye on the rapid transformation of Croydon. His mother Pauline (the inspiration behind the name Miss P’s) is very much part of his vision. This translates to creating a sassy place offering smashing cocktails, craft beers and awesome, slow-burning Atlanta barbecue meats.

I can’t comment much about the newly renovated interiors as it was still very much work in progress when we visited. The place had barely been in operation for a week and I could still smell the licks of fresh paint. The artwork needed hanging, the heating had to be turned on and the kitchen was still finalising the food menu. Nevertheless the little that we did see looked promising and full of heart. The interiors are clean, modern, bright and cheery; almost a cross between a Swedish sauna and a German beer hall. There are some pavement tables outside for balmier weather days.

We visited on their opening week when there was a limited menu available so it was a bit on the quiet side. Still, I could see the place getting busier as the evening progressed with people trickling in, curious to find out more about this new opening.

The fact that they serve Meantime was music to our ears. They have several of their different brews available on tap, including Yakima Red, London Pale Ale and London Lager.

I sampled their limited edition Smoked Fried Chicken Wings (£5) – chicken wings seasoned with Pitmaster G’s signature rub and slowly smoked over oak and charcoal. The chicken is then battered and deep fried to a golden crisp. It is served alongside Alabama White Sauce – a Hellmann’s mayonnaise based sauce with garlic and horseradish.

The corn-fed chicken arrived piping hot with a spicy dusting on top. It was full of smoky, charcoal-scarred flavours and a nice bit of kick. The batter was light, crispy and not too greasy, which was perfect for me as I don’t like too much fried food. The Alabama sauce was the perfect yin to the yang of the spicy chicken, the cooling garlicky mayo offsetting the punchy heat. The tumble of House Slaw (£2) was freshly prepared and had a lightness to it, unlike the soporifically creamy versions you see elsewhere.

Kris ordered The Hogfather (£8) – a humble sandwich sexed up with chopped pork belly and sausage, slathered with a honey-mustard BBQ sauce. As far as sandwiches go, this was a meat lovers dream: big flavours encased in a soft bun. It had nice, fat, juicy bits of pork belly glazed over with that sticky, sweet sauce. Hot, messy and outrageously good!

Cajun Fries (£5) came skin-on, soft and fluffy on the inside and a cajun-spiked crunchy coating on the outside. They were snaffled in sixty seconds!

I haven’t tried their cocktails yet but they do have some splendid choices on offer (£7.50 a pop). Miss P’s also do Happy Hours every evening on cocktails, which further sweetens the deal. They are bringing in some exciting new dishes that we can’t wait to try (Mac’n’cheese and Cajun Catfish)! All the food will have a touch of smoke and barbecue. Between Meantime, half-price cocktails and kickass food at pocket-friendly prices, this place should be a resounding success in no time. Luca’s team are young, fun and chipper, which makes the atmosphere totally vibey and a cool place to hangout!

So whether you live in South London or not, give this new local some love, especially if you like your smoky meats and oaky bourbons!

More information can be found here.

Address: 107 Addiscombe Rd, Croydon CR0 6SG

N.B. All photos and opinions are mine. The smoked chicken wings were complimentary as part of an influencer event organised by Hellmans UK and Miss P’s Barbecue.