Trafalgar Tavern

A massive boozer and it's just as well; you're bound to want to escape either a) the crowds of tourists imagining Dickens penning his finest, b) the entire population of Goldsmith's College on a bender, or c) some dodgy 'future of rock' live band in the main room. These things aside, and they're really all part of the charm; the Trav is a fine drinking hole that serves a cracking Sunday lunch. Chill out by the river (there's no outside seating but in summer you can sit out by the river) and enjoy.

Anybody who's ever been to Greenwich knows the Trafalgar. It's a huge, handsome pub, well in keeping with its grand and historic surroundings. It's right on the river with views to the north and as a result, is incredibly popular. We usually visit this pub when we're meeting people who are new to the area and then we have to move on. It's not the pub's fault, but the tourist crowds, seemingly packed floor to ceiling, cause us to repair to other establishments, should we require quiet conversation - you'd do the same same in any tourist haunt in any city. The restaurant has a reputation for good food, although we haven't eaten here, blame the crowds again - and the beers are pretty well kept but it's all a little pricey, hardly a surprise given where it is. It's now expanded into the street and onto the riverside to provide more tables and seating, such is its popularity.

Dickens knocked back a few here (the Trafalgar is mentioned in Our Mutual Friend) and prime ministers Gladstone and Disraeli used to dine on the pub's celebrated whitebait. The whitebait fishery at Greenwich was so famous that Parliament would suspend sitting for the day to feast on the little finned ones.