Ask anyone when walking around Kingston what their favourite pub is, and while their special places may vary, a vast majority will say the "nicest" is The Spring Grove. Off the main road that connects Kingston to Surbiton, round the back of the University is a quaint area that doesn't look like it belongs. Old shop fronts - a bakery, an offy, a church, terraced houses, a sort of rural calmness prevails. First discovered on a crawl a few years back, it won me over with their gigantic garden (heated and covered), which is amazing when not resembling a crèche. On repeated visits, the snug was a prime viewing spot for the weekend football, no longer showing, due to lack of interest and an ownership change. Which is a shame. But nothing is too much trouble for the staff who work here, a refreshing positivity that we all sorely need. It feels like it's split into 4-5 areas, the stunning sky lights dominating the two main restaurant spaces, the booth filled kitchen fronted area usually occupied by swaths of families, and front area with a few TVs taken up by a much more varied crowd. It used to get full on weekends, but I've not seen it too busy for a while. Beer wise it's the usual Young's suspects. Young's Ales and Neck-Oil on tap seem to be the go-tos mixed among the macro lagers. Hepcat is a nice addition, as well as a varied alcohol-free range. The Spring Grove was probably responsible for over half my consumed Neck Oils a few years ago, which now seem to mostly taste like soap wherever I go. Food, it's pub fare but very good. Proper hefty portions, filling and tasty. Christmas day menu was a belter when we were still mid-covid. I could bang on for days about the pigs in blankets in yorkshires. History wise there's not a whole lot distinctly notable, but it's still *old*. The venue itself dates back to 1896, as part of the Spring Grove estate developed by Mr Palmer Porter, designed as an area with affordable homes for those working in Kingston. There's a real community feeling here that is written about in most references to the area, it does feel like a space with its own identity. Young's have a real talent for making pubs "nice", and this is one of the nicest. Despite the majority of this review being adapted from over a year ago, I still love coming here, and recommend you do too if you're in the area.