The best pubs in London
Whether you're a visitor to the capital or a born and bred Londoner, pubs are bound to be at the heart of your experience of the city. London is crammed with excellent pubs, many of them with history stretching back centuries, and many in charming locations, hidden down medieval alleyways or opening up to vistas over the Thames. Some are cosy places with open fires to settle in for a winter's evening, while others have sprawling gardens for summer spritzes. You may prefer your pubs beer-forward, with ales on cask and craft bottles to explore, or perhaps a pub is fundamentally a place for an excellent Sunday roast – either way, there is plenty here to keep you occupied. The unstoppable rise of the gastropub means that practically every neighbourhood in London has somewhere where you can get a brilliant meal, and many pubs feature among our favourite London restaurants. From Belgravia to Hampstead, and Dulwich to Wimbledon, we've put together a carefully considered list of the best pubs in London, so that wherever you find yourself, you'll have somewhere stylish to pitch up for a pint, some crisps, and possibly quite a lot more.
The best pubs in London
1/31CENTRAL LONDON
The Grazing Goat, Marylebone
Best for: a sophisticated lunch away from the bustle of Oxford Street
When you step inside the elegant interior of The Grazing Goat, you’ll soon forget that the madness of Oxford Street is less than five minutes walk away. This is the perfect place to stop off amid a busy day of shopping, with airy and serene rooms decked out in pale wood and unobtrusive flower prints. The pub downstairs has a small terrace outside for sunny days, and upstairs is a restaurant focusing on British produce. Even further upstairs are some of the most comfortable bedrooms you’re likely to find in a London pub. The overall feel is that a stylish Cotswold pub has somehow found itself in central London, and frankly, it’s a perfect antidote if you’ve just been struggling through Selfridges.
6 New Quebec St, London W1H 7RQ | cubitthouse.co.uk
2/31The Guinea Grill, Mayfair
Best for: come for the beer, stay for the meat
A pub in two parts tucked down a side street off Grosvenor Square, this is part ultra-traditional boozer, part ultra-traditional trencherman’s paradise. At the compact front end, you’ll find a selection of Young’s ales and some of the best bar snacks in London, including chips fried in beef dripping and luscious scotch eggs. At the back, the restaurant, manned by reverential waiters in red waistcoats, takes beef very seriously, as it has done since 1952. Not much has changed since then, we reckon, but it’s all the better for it. Do book a table if you want to be in the restaurant, and note that, given the Mayfair location, you’ll be standing in Bruton Place with half of the city’s bankers if you come at 5pm on a weekday.
30 Bruton Pl, London W1J 6NL | theguinea.co.uk
3/31The Coach & Horses, Soho
Best for: a piece of Soho history
Taking up the corner of Greek Street and Romilly Street in London’s once-sleazy Soho is a pub steeped in journalistic history. Much-frequented (and much-written-about) by the staff of Private Eye and the Spectator, it was also famous in the latter half of the 20th century for the presence of ‘London’s rudest landlord’ Norman Balon. Now run by Fuller’s, it may not be quite as colourful now as it was in the 1980s, but there’s still bags of atmosphere to be had, and alongside its neighbour The French House, it remains a Soho institution.
29 Greek St, London W1D 5DH | coachandhorsessoho.pub
4/31Lore of the Land, Fitzrovia
Best for: a splendid all-rounder in the heart of media-land
Lore of the Land, opened by movie director Guy Ritchie in 2019 under his ‘Gritchie’ brewery label, wears its traditional atmosphere with ease, and to step inside is to hide away from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding streets. A traditional pub with unobtrusively appropriate interiors takes up the downstairs, serving Gritchie brews and delectable small plates. Non-beer drinkers are equally well catered to, with a strong selection of boutique spirits and a carefully chosen wine list. Upstairs is a sophisticated dining room with a menu that changes weekly. Far more than the relaxed neighbourhood pub it claims to be, Lore of the Land is a perfect destination for a memorable dinner, a lengthy weekend lunch, or a quick pint.
4 Conway St, London W1T 6BB | gritchiepubs.com
5/31Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street
Best for: a distinctively British experience packed with history
Fleet Street is of course the legendary seat of British journalism, and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is where that famously bibulous profession came to do its drinking. There has been a pub here since 1538 and the current building dates back to just after the Great Fire in 1666; it is notoriously dark and dim inside, with acres of wood panelling, open fireplaces, and portraits of the great and good who have graced the bar. These include such literary greats as P.G. Wodehouse, Agatha Christie, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and even Samuel Johnson back in the day. Now run by Samuel Smith’s the pub offers beer on draught and a resolutely traditional menu (although we note that hispi cabbage has found its way in recently).
145 Fleet St, London EC4A 2BP | ye-olde-cheshire-cheese.co.uk
6/31The Grenadier, Belgravia
Come for: high-end pub classics and a dose of military history
Slightly hard to find, like many of the best pubs in central London, The Grenadier has a charming location down a cobbled mews not far from Hyde Park Corner. Built in the 18th century as an officers’ mess, it has always retained a strong association with the British military, and indeed is said to be haunted by the ghost of a subaltern beaten to death for cheating at cards. In his honour, the ceiling of the pub is plastered with banknotes pinned there by customers. There’s an excellent menu of pub classics (including a standout beef Wellington) as well as bar snacks like sausage rolls and scotch eggs. You’d be hard-pressed to find another pub more characterful.
18 Wilton Row, London SW1X 7NR | grenadierbelgravia.com
7/31NORTH LONDON
The Draper’s Arms, Islington
Best for: a stylish weekend lunch
In the quiet hinterland between Upper Street and Caledonian Road in Islington stands an archetype of what a modern London gastropub should be. Without a doubt one of the best pubs for food in the entire city, the menu delivers beautifully done twists on pub classics, a few on-trend helpings of offal (ox heart, bone marrow), cheeses from La Fromagerie and an extensive wine list. There’s plenty of craft beer on offer as well if you just want to come for a drink, and you’ll find a smart garden outside for sunny days.
44 Barnsbury St, London N1 1ER | thedrapersarms.com
8/31Southampton Arms, Kentish Town
Best for: A knees up; avoid if you are hungry and vegetarian.
Just a hop away from Hampstead Heath this is a tiny Victorian pub with a little garden that serves ‘Ale, cider and meat’ only from independent breweries. If you like a pork bap, playing the piano and the occasional sing-a-long this is the place for you. It’s often busy but the crowd is a lovely mix of young and old and all are welcome. Including dogs. And a cat called Mo who lives up the road but pops in often. There are no bookings so you'll have to take your chances.
139 Highgate Rd, London NW5 1LE | thesouthamptonarms.co.uk
9/31Bull and Last, Highgate
Best for: Food and people watching
This lovely pub on the edge of Hampstead Heath is so very popular you will need to plan ahead and book to secure a table. The decoration is understated, with wood panelling and a few bulls’ heads dotted around, and you’ll find a few highly covetable benches on the pavement outside. The food is classic, British and generous. Personal favourites are the fish and chips and the outstanding Sunday roasts. There are also seven guest bedrooms upstairs for anyone looking for a simple, stylish place to stay in this neck of the woods.
168 Highgate Rd, London NW5 1QS | thebullandlast.co.uk
10/31The Baring, De Beauvoir
Best for: Sunday roasts
With its cream coloured walls and pared-back, mid-century interiors, The Baring would already be a lovely place to post up on a laid-back Sunday afternoon with friends. However, their Sunday roast made with sustainable, seasonal ingredients is what makes this unassuming pub a true North London destination where Sunday scaries all but vanish (especially after your first perfectly pulled pint of Guinness).
55 Baring St, London N1 3DS | thebaring.co.uk
kingsheadtheatrepub.co.uk11/31The King’s Head, Islington
Best for: people watching and donning your Sunday best
A stone’s throw from the Almeida Theatre, The King’s Head Pub is Islington’s chosen watering hole of actors, stagehands and post-show revellers. A stone’s throw from the Almeida Theatre, the pub is the ideal spot to head for a pre- or post-theatre drink (or to put yourself in the vicinity of your favourite cast member). Should you feel peckish, The King’s Head serves a wide range of great nibbles, from charcuterie boards to toasted bagels. Great pints and good glasses of wine are always on deck, as well as creative spritzes and cocktails, many of them named for the pub’s most famous patrons. On Sundays, the King’s Head hosts a “fancy dress roast”, perfect for those with a penchant for the theatrical.
115 Upper St, London N1 1QN | kingsheadtheatrepub.co.uk
12/31The Tamil Prince, Islington
Best for: exceptional Indian food
Hidden in the quiet, leafy streets between Kings Cross and Highbury & Islington, The Tamil Prince's setting is very much a pub, and a pub-like informality pervades the Indian restaurant which is the main reason you’d come. At the helm is Prince Durairaj, formerly of Malaysian favourite Roti King, who lends both his name and the cuisine of his childhood home in Tamil Nadu to the new venue. The vibe is cool but not obnoxiously so; the wood panelling of the interior has been painted an inviting deep blue, and feels stylish yet laid back. The same goes for the service, which is friendly and expert at the same time, and for the smart, concise menu.
115 Hemingford Rd, London N1 1BZ | thetamilprince.com
Benjamin John / Alamy Stock Photo13/31EAST LONDON
The Jamaica Wine House, The City
Best for: history aficionados and bankers clocking off
Another of those London pubs that’s extraordinarily hard to find, the Jamaica Wine House is hidden within a labyrinth of alleys in the centre of London’s banking district. The site was home to London’s first coffee house back in the 17th century and boasted Samuel Pepys as a customer, but its current incarnation is a Victorian boozer now run by Shepherd Neame. Open only from Monday to Friday, as the City quietens down considerably at weekends, this wood-panelled den is the place to come for cask ales, but you can also find a wine bar tucked away in the basement.
St Michael's Alley, London EC3V 9DS | jamaicawinehouse.co.uk
14/31The Viaduct Tavern, The City
Best for: reading the paper with a pint
If you’re in a tight spot with the law, the presence of this cosy Victorian pub just across from the Old Bailey will be distinctly welcome. The site was formerly home to the notorious Newgate Prison, where a range of colourful characters from Casanova to Oscar Wilde served sentences, and the pub, unsurprisingly, is reputed to be haunted. There’s a bit of Victoriana on display in the interiors, but its small scale and circular shape make it a comfortable place to settle in for a drink. The pub is now run by Fullers, with a very limited food menu, but you don’t come here to dine, you come to soak up the atmosphere.
126 Newgate St, London EC1A 7AA | viaducttavern.co.uk
Instagram/@thespurstowearms15/31The Spurstowe Arms, Dalston
Best for: people watching, good vibes and a lovely garden
The Spurstowe Arms is as Dalston-y as it gets: patrons swathed in Carhartt and Kawakubo, a gastropub menu with a locally sourced ingredients list and the smoky perfume of rolled tobacco. The pub is an excellent spot to grab a quick drink by candlelight or, in the warmer months, the neighbourhood’s best choice for outdoor drinking. Come early with a group of friends and post up at a covetable picnic table in the Spurstowe Arms’ lovely back garden, sipping on a well-made Negroni or cold beer under the garden’s twinkling fairy lights.
68 Greenwood Road, E8 1AB | spurstowearms.com
Instagram/@marksman_pub16/31Marksman Public House, Haggerston
Best for: exceptional food and cocktails
Foodies native to London or simply visiting will want to make an especial trip to the Marksman Public House, the harbinger of the city’s gastropub boom. Set in a former Victorian pub, the Marksman serves excellent, elevated English food, from Maldon oysters to chicken and wild garlic pie. Of course, a pub is nothing without great drinks which, luckily, the Marksman has in spades. Peruse the pub’s excellent cocktail and wine menus or opt for one of the many great beers they have on draught. Should nothing strike your fancy, a friendly barman will shake up anything you desire (and it’ll likely be the best variation of it you’ve ever sipped).
254 Hackney Road, E2 7SJ | marksmanpublichouse.com
Instagram/@pubonthepark17/31Pub on the Park, London Fields
Best for: a great outdoor drinking situation
A traditional pub located on the upper green's edge of London Fields, the Pub on the Park is one of the city's ultimate outdoor watering holes. Laid back and unpretentious, guests can snag a picnic table and a few pints, enjoying the balmy spring weather and making friends with neighbouring groups. Sports fans and games lovers alike will enjoy catching a match on one of the large televisions or playing a round or two of boules round the back of the pub; those more interested in music will not want to miss the rotation of fun DJs who provide a diverse range of tunes throughout the weekend. Whether you're there to enjoy the weather, listen to a set or play a game with friends, know that an afternoon posted up at the Pub on the Park is not your average picnic. (Discover more great outdoor bars in London here).
19 Martello St, London E8 3PE | pubonthepark.com
TARAN WILKHU18/31WEST LONDON
The Carpenter's Arms, Chiswick
Best for: Stylish comfort for pints and meals, plus a destination for private dining
Do you dream of having a local pub where you can sit at a table by an open fire, read your paper uninterrupted by muzak, enjoy wine from a well-selected list and an excellent meal made from local produce, lit by warm and inviting lighting and with walls hung with idiosyncratic art? Just such a place is The Carpenter’s Arms in Chiswick, run by Simon Cherry and designed by his partner Tamsin Saunders, who combined their individual talents to create a space that is now home to both their businesses. In the winter, the outdoor courtyard is covered and lit with candles and fairy lights, decorated with branches of spruce and trailing ivy to create a magical winter garden. There’s also a beautiful private dining room that’s high on our list of places to book for a special occasion.
91 Black Lion Ln, London W6 9BG | carpentersarmsw6.co.uk
David Cotsworth19/31The Princess Royal, Notting Hill
Best for: high-end food and beautiful people watching
The Princess Royal is the latest from chef Ben Tish, of Norma in Fitzrovia, so the menu (Mediterranean classics made with British produce) is certainly a highlight. The crowd is distinctly west London; beautiful dogs lie at people’s feet, and everyone looks a little like Claudia Winkleman, or maybe her cousin. Potted plants flow lush and green over bare brick walls and the garden is by Jinny Blom. The Princess Royal is hardly a boozer, even before we browse a menu of gnocchi, bream and the like – don’t come here expecting to catch the North London derby on Sky Sports. It’s much more elevated than that, though we don’t doubt it’s great for a casual pint in its own right, either.
47 Hereford Rd, London W2 5AH | cubitthouse.co.uk
20/31The Pelican, Ladbroke Grove
Best for: feeling like you’re in the know
In some form or another, the pub on the corner of All Saints Road has been a local’s haunt since 1872. Its latest iteration is The Pelican, a smart neighbourhood gastropub with food worth travelling for. With an interiors overhaul led by Studio Squire, what was once a slightly shabby boozer is now a pared back, cosy establishment. That’s not to say that the charm has been knocked out of it, there’s still a ‘proper pub’ feel about the place, there are just fewer unidentifiable stains on the seats. The kitchen is headed up by chef Owen Kenworth, who has kept the menu nice and trim. There’s a St John-esque feel to it, with good, fresh produce, cooked without fuss. It’s not the cheapest in the area–the food will cost you around £30 per head for a full meal, but it’s well worth it.
45 All Saints Road, W11 1HE | thepelicanw11.com
churchillarmskensington.co.uk21/31Churchill Arms, Kensington
Best for: photo opportunities
You’ll likely recognise the Churchill Arms from Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, or really any social media platform–their Instagram bio reads ‘London’s most instagrammable pub’ for a reason. In summer, the exterior of the pub is bedecked with nearly £30,000 in flowers, made up of 100 flower pots, 42 hanging baskets, and 48 window boxes. Come Christmas, the whole building is covered in Christmas trees.
Inside you’ll find a shrine to Churchill himself, whose grandparents used to frequent the spot (hence the name). Think kitschy portraits, union jacks, and various bits of fake WW2 memorabilia. However, keep walking and you will stumble across a completely different setting. Deep inside the pub, there’s a Thai restaurant. Set in an indoor garden, where lanterns hang from the ceiling and plants climb the walls, you’ll feel totally transported. To really make the most of the Churchill Arms, grab a pint and sit in the ‘pub’ section of the establishment, then move through to the restaurant for dinner.
119 Kensington Church St, London W8 7LN | churchillarmskensington.co.uk
22/31The Dove, Hammersmith
For a tiny historical pub, riverside pub The Dove packs a bevy of famous credentials. The poet James Thomson composed the familiar strains of ‘Rule Britannia’ here. Charles II romanced and dined his mistress Nell Gwynne here. And in the famous novel ‘The Water Gypsies’, author A P Herbert features it under a cheeky pseudonym; ‘The Pigeons’. William Morris lived next door. It's utterly charming both in summer on the two terraces facing Barnes bridge or in winter, with cosy corners, a roaring fire and low wooden beams on the ceilings.
The Dove, 19 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London, W6 9TA | https://www.dovehammersmith.co.uk
thecowlondon.com23/31The Cow, Westbourne Park
Best for: Guinness and oysters
It’s a rare, and wonderful, moment when you stumble across a pub that walks the line between gastro and traditional with such flair. In a country where pubs must choose one form or the other, The Cow is a shining example of doing both well. Housed in a higgledy-piggledy building that dates from around 1800, the downstairs is dark and slightly cavernous (two prerequisites for a more trad pub). It’s booths and stools and sticky cardboard coasters that feel like they might have been on the table since it opened in 1995. Upstairs, in the dining room, it’s light and airy. Red benches line the walls, alongside large mirrors, surrealist imagery and tables set with white paper tablecloths. The cuisine is fresh and laidback, with an emphasis on excellent seafood. Of course, you need to order The Cow Special– six jersey rock oysters and a pint of Guinness.
89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH | thecowlondon.com
24/31SOUTH LONDON
Skehans, Nunhead
Best for: getting to know the locals
The shining turquoise jewel in South East’s crown (and no real secret). A proper boozer with pool, sports and live music. The traditional Irish pub boasts lit fireplaces in the winter and a sprawling multi-layered pub garden all year round. Its stellar Thai restaurant, Chai’s Garden, sits somewhat surreal amongst the maze of garden-hideaways out the back. You can spend Monday nights listening to fiddle groups rehearsing, Thursdays watching live bands, Fridays hiding from karaoke out the back and New Years elbowing your way through to the bar, always surrounded by the varied cast of locals; faces that change but roles that remain the same.
1 Kitto Rd, London SE14 5SN | skehans.com
25/31The Herne Tavern, Peckham Rye
Best for: Drinks in the sun
The unassuming red-brick exterior of this sweet little pub does not do justice to its vast, bountiful back garden. Though the inside is charming with its stained-glass windows and dark wooden bar, and would definitely be a great setting for a glass of red wine on a cosy winter’s night, the appeal during the warmer months is in the winding gardens which seat plenty of people. There’s even a large tented corner for unforeseen bouts of rain. Perfect for families, dates, birthdays, you name it. They do a great Aperol spritz and an even better fish burger.
2 Forest Hill Rd, London SE22 0RR | theherne.co.uk
26/31The Ivy House, Nunhead
Best for: live entertainment
When this historic pub was slated for demolition in 2013, a group of local residents took the chance to band together and save it, making it London’s first cooperatively owned pub. It’s now a successful community hub, not only offering a wide range of drinks from craft and cask beers to cocktails, but also pizzas, Sunday roasts, and, brilliantly, weekly live events, including pub quizzes, theatre, comedy and live music. It feels like a traditional boozer but there’s an amazing stage for performances, and for those who feel that a community is nothing without a good pub, it’s the perfect place to be.
40 Stuart Rd, London SE15 3BE | ivyhousenunhead.com
tomleighton.co.uk t:07939 25093527/31The Crooked Well, Camberwell
Best for: Guest chefs
Nestled on an idyllic street in the heart of Camberwell, The Crooked Well is a real treat for foodies. Throughout the year the kitchen is taken over by a series of culinary pop-ups. Until recently, this was Stuffed Ravioli, who served handmade Italian delights and are well worth a visit at their new location in Netil Market. A recent changing of the guard at The Crooked Well has seen a new - and just as exciting - chef take to the kitchen for a summer residency: Rajiv’s Kitchen. The summer tasting menu from chef Rajiv boasts a delectable selection of Nepalese delights, including goat curry and Bhyanta (slow-roasted aubergine with Nepali salsa). This is worth a journey for out-of-towners, and a no-brainer for locals.
16 Grove Ln, London SE5 8SY | thecrookedwell.com
28/31Canton Arms, Stockwell
Best for: a restaurant feel in a traditional pub
Situated on the main drag that runs down from Vauxhall through Stockwell to Brixton, the Canton Arms is likely a familiar sight to many south Londoners. Pleasantly rustic in feel with many of the traits of a traditional boozer (you can get a wide range of beers on cask), it also comes with a highly rated gastropub menu, available in the dining room at the back. The food is Modern British with some Mediterranean elements, and the menu changes seasonally. Reservations are strongly recommended as this is a firm local favourite and you’re likely to be disappointed without one.
177 S Lambeth Rd, London SW8 1XP | cantonarms.com
Eden Breitz / Alamy Stock Photo29/31The White Cross
Best for: riverside drinks
As you venture into south-west London, the meandering River Thames is a near constant presence, and one of the most popular pubs on its banks is surely The White Cross, whose riverside terrace is a great destination for warm weather drinks, not to mention a beautiful place to watch the sun set. Yes, it occasionally floods at high tide, but that’s just part of the fun. Run by Young’s, it’s a quintessential English pub experience, with decent food (including a weekend oyster shack), cask ales, a serviceable wine list, and big screens for sports. Come on a rugby day to experience it at its finest (and most crowded).
Riverside House, Water Ln, Richmond TW9 1NR | thewhitecrossrichmond.com
Simon Turner / Alamy Stock Photo30/31The Crooked Billet & The Hand in Hand, Wimbledon Village
Best for: a taste of the countryside just off the tube
A brisk uphill walk from Wimbledon station gets you to the idyllic Wimbledon Village, with horses trotting along the high street and green spaces galore (from Wimbledon Common to the lovely Cannizzaro Park). It’s here you’ll also find two quintessentially British pubs side by side: The Crooked Billet and The Hand in Hand. The two Young’s pubs overlook a pretty green triangle where deckchairs and alfresco tables filled with the well-heeled locals and their dogs come post-walks. Come here on summer Fridays and you may even see the local Morris Dancers to their own trotting as well as the iconic ‘golden cycling man of Wimbledon’ stopping for a pint.
The Crooked Billet: 15 Crooked Billet, London SW19 4RQ | thecrookedbilletwimbledon.com
The Hand in Hand: 6 Crooked Billet, Wimbledon Common, London SW19 4RQ | thehandinhandwimbledon.co.uk
c Paul Winch-Furness - Photographer31/31Earl of Derby, Nunhead
Best for: a proper local with great food
Nestled away in between Nunehad and New Cross, the recently renovated Earl of Derby is a truly sensational local for anyone living nearby, or those visiting the area. Sitting at the bottom a Telegraph Hill (a popular spot for panoramic views of the city), the pub boasts smart (but not overly fiddly) interiors, a drinks list consisting of ales and beers from local breweries, as well as organic and low intervention wines.
It's certainly worth a visit for foodies: the kitchen is occupied by Gengelly’s, serving an array of classic dishes with a modern twist. You can expect Sussex pork chop served with Tuscan braised beans and gremolata, or Asparagus paired with a smoked hollandaise.
Earl of Derby, 87 Dennett's Rd, London SE14 5LW | earlofderby.uk
