From the riverside Dove to the Michelin-starred Harwood Arms, here are the best pubs to visit in London, chosen by the local guides who know them best.
Pubs sit at the centre of London life, and they have done for centuries. They are where locals unwind, catch up and put the world to rights. That makes choosing the best pubs in London a tricky business, because there are so many of them. Some are centuries old, some are new. Every one of them is a good reason to be out in the city with a drink in your hand.
The George has been pouring since the 17th century, and these days it belongs to the National Trust. It has timber galleries, a mention or two in Dickens, and a steady trade in proper English food and drink. It is the sort of pub you hope London still has — and it does.
It is not the biggest pub on this list. What it has is a riverside terrace, and the view from it is rather good. The rooms are small and cosy, and the food is better than a pub this size has any right to serve.
The Trafalgar Tavern has been here since 1837, and the interior is a proper Victorian set-piece. It is known for its whitebait suppers, and the tables by the window look straight out over the Thames. Come for the river; stay for the whitebait.
The Lamb & Flag dates from 1772, and for a stretch of the 19th century it was known as the Bucket of Blood, because the bare-knuckle fights happened upstairs. The blood has gone, thank goodness. The ale is still rather good, and the talk still flows.
The Founder’s Arms is the modern one on this list, with a terrace that looks straight across the river at St Paul’s. The view does most of the work, and the food and drink are up to the setting.
If you want literary connections, this is the pub. Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Dylan Thomas were regulars. The house rule is half-pints only, which keeps the room civilised and the talk lively. Bohemian in the proper sense: a room full of conversation and strong opinions.
Over 40 craft beers on the bar and plenty more in bottles. If you like beer, you will be spoiled for choice, and the staff know every one of them well enough to steer you. One of the best beer lists in London, full stop.
Euston Tap does the same job in miniature, with a rotating selection, so there is usually something new on the bar each visit. It has become the reliable spot for a proper craft pint near the station. Beer first, train after — our order of preference.
The Grapes in Limehouse is part-owned by Sir Ian McKellen and has been serving for around 500 years, with a Shakespeare connection to go with it. It is small — you will be cosy — but the riverside terrace is one of the best in London, and the food holds its own.
The Nag’s Head is old school in the best sense. No cameras and no phones — the house prefers you talk to the person next to you. Prices are fair and the room is handsome. It is a pub that has decided what it is, and it has decided well.
The Ten Bells has been around for a long time, and it has a Jack the Ripper connection that gives the place a frisson. It is a little spooky and very atmospheric, and the food and drink are good enough that you would come anyway.
A Victorian pub with the interior to prove it. Tiled walls, etched glass and private wooden booths, all of it intact and all of it worth crossing town for. The Princess Louise is a museum you are allowed to drink in.
Only independent British ales and ciders here, from keg or cask, and that is the whole menu. The room is stripped back and cosy, the way a pub should be. Drinkers who care where their beer comes from tend to love it.
As the name suggests, the Pig & Butcher is a nose-to-tail dining room, with meat from local farms. But the bar is not an afterthought — there is a proper line of beers and drinks to go with the food. Come for the chops, stay for the pints.
The Marksman is a gastropub in the East End, with modern cooking and a room that feels like the neighbourhood. Order the beef and barley bun — it is the signature for a reason. You will not leave hungry, and you will not leave disappointed.
The Harwood Arms is the only pub in London with a Michelin star, and it earns it the honest way, with seasonal British cooking. The drinks are good, but the food is the event. Book ahead.
The Seven Stars dates from 1602, which makes it one of the oldest rooms you will drink in. It is small and usually full, because the atmosphere is warm, the interior is intact and the drinks are well kept. A pub that has survived four centuries by being worth the visit.
The Spaniards Inn stands at the top of Hampstead Heath with a proper beer garden, which is half the battle. It is a handsome, old-fashioned building — the sort of pub you hope is still standing in fifty years. The drinks are well chosen, and the garden is a pleasure.
The Blackfriar is Art Nouveau from floor to ceiling — bronze panels, mosaics, the lot. Many rate it the most beautiful pub in London, and the drinks match the room. It stands on the site of a former Dominican friary, which explains the name.
The Fitzroy Tavern is where Dylan Thomas and George Orwell came to think out loud, and the room has kept its character. The beer is reasonably priced, the decor is properly old-fashioned, and you will understand why the writers kept coming back.
That is twenty pubs, and London has a few thousand more. The right one for you depends on the day: riverside, roomy, raucous or quiet. Our advice is to pick a couple from this list, walk in, and see. The pub will do the rest.
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