101 best pubs in London

Find the best pubs in central London and beyond with our extensive guide, including pubs with beer gardens for refreshing pints on sunny days, traditional pubs steeped in history, and the top gastropubs in town for Sunday roasts and more. 

London's top beer gardens

1. Play mini golf, feast on jerk burgers and sip on cold beer in the Duke of Edinburgh’s huge and popular Brixton beer garden.
2. Sit under pretty wisteria in the gorgeous garden at The Albion, a Georgian foodie favourite in Islington.
3. Watch jazz and outdoor theatre during the summer months in The Drayton Court’s giant beer garden in Ealing.
4. Explore the incredible three-storey garden, reminiscent of a treehouse, at the Faltering Fullback, a north London Irish pub that’s popular with sports fans.
5. Join the trendy Shoreditch crowd in the lovely garden at The Crown & Shuttle.
6. Sit in a cosy booth in the Edinboro Castle’s lively beer garden, within walking distance of Regent's Park and Camden Market.
7. Relax in the calming garden oasis at The Phene, a Chelsea institution with good food.
8. Find London’s countryside pub, The Telegraph, hidden on Putney Heath, not far from Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common.
9. Grab a table in the massive heated garden at The Leather Bottle in Earlsfield, complete with garden huts and a burger shack.
10. After a long walk on Hampstead Heath, enjoy a refreshing drink in the walled beer garden at dog-friendly The Garden Gate.
11. Follow your visit to Hampton Court Palace with a refreshing drink and some tasty food in the peaceful riverside garden at The Mitre.
12. Enjoy a pint in the large beer garden at the back of The Angel Oak in Peckham. 

Best gastropubs in London

1. Enjoy culinary excellence in Fulham at The Harwood Arms, London’s only Michelin-starred pub.
2. Immortalised in a Taylor Swift song, Vauxhall's The Black Dog has classic dishes and tapas to share.
3. Settle down to a meal packed full of seasonal ingredients, plus plenty of vegetarian options, at St John’s Tavern in Archway.
4. Try something different at The Tamil Prince in Barnsbury, a local pub with a world class South Indian menu.
5. Visitors come from all over London to sample the imaginative menu and unforgettable Sunday lunch at The Camberwell Arms.
6. Head to Notting Hill to enjoy high-quality gastropub fare at the Ladbroke Arms, prettily decorated with hanging baskets of flowers.
7. Admire the fun interior as you sup on food sourced from local suppliers at The Marquess Tavern, once a favourite haunt of the writer, George Orwell.
8. Bermondsey's The Garrison has a daily changing fish special as well as other great seasonal produce.
9. Devour some of the best scotch eggs in London at The Cross Keys, a Chelsea pub frequented by famous visitors including Agatha Christie and the Rolling Stones – although probably not at the same time.

Pubs with the best Sunday roasts

1. A seasonal British menu and epic roasts can be found at The Parakeet, a classy pub with food in Kentish Town named after London’s favourite adopted bird.
2. Nip to Belsize Park and gnaw on crispy crackling from the excellent pork belly roast at The Stag.
3. Enjoy the spoils of a robata charcoal grill at a Greenwich favourite, The Guildford Arms. Nice beer garden too.
4. The Sunday menu at Mayfair’s The Windmill features traditional Sunday lunch and house favourite, homemade pies, all served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and plenty of vegetables.
5. Nestle by the roaring fire during winter months and tuck into the pie of the day at The Warwick Castle in Little Venice.
6. Refuel with a hearty meal at The Prince Regent after a swim in Brockwell Lido located right opposite the pub.
7. Savour a tasty vegetarian roast at the Bull & Gate gin palace in Kentish Town along with their delicious vegan puddings.

Discover more places to enjoy a delicious Sunday roast.

Traditional and historic London pubs

1. Admire the stained glass while enjoying a drink at Angel in the Fields, a traditional pub in Marylebone.
2. Revel in the bloody history of the Lamb & Flag in Covent Garden, an ancient pub that earned a reputation in the 19th century for staging bare-knuckle prize fights.
3. Discover why revered writers Charles Dickens and PG Wodehouse frequented Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, one of the oldest pubs in London – rebuilt soon after the Great Fire of 1666.
4. One of Soho’s most famous pubs, the Coach & Horses still draws a characterful crowd while the walls are filled with memories of Soho’s past.
5. Sip your way through the large selection of real ales at The Hoop & Grapes, a timber-framed pub in Aldgate that survived the Great Fire of London.
6. Hidden behind the Royal Courts Of Justice, the Seven Stars goes back to 1602, and the historic interior is decorated with a legal theme – the snug is called the Wig Box.
7. Look up at the stunning carved ceiling in The Clachan, a lively Victorian pub near Carnaby Street.
8. Reward yourself with a refreshing drink at the lovely Jamaica Wine House after navigating a labyrinth of medieval backstreets to find it.
9. Admire the features of a Grade II-listed building in the historic heart of bustling Spitalfields at The Ten Bells.
10. Bask in light pouring through the Victorian windows at The Wheatsheaf in Tooting Bec, rumoured to be Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan’s favourite pub.
11. Take in the incredible, ornate Victorian interior of the Princess Louise pub in Holborn.
12. Have a tipple at The Mayflower, one of the oldest pubs on the Thames close to where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail in 1620 for what is now the United States.

Child-friendly pubs

1. Allow the kids to let off steam at The Rosendale, a West Dulwich pub with a children’s play area and plenty of family games.
2. Join families attracted by the relaxed atmosphere and fun activity sheets at The Florence. 
3. Finchley’s King Of Prussia has shuffleboard and board games as well as a great beer garden.
4. Get creative at The Bolingbroke, where kids can decorate their own delicious fairy cakes.
5. Hang out on beanbags in Hammersmith in The Eagle’s colourful pub garden, a joy for children and adults alike.

Pubs with live music, comedy and events

1. Head upstairs at The Lock Tavern in music-rich Camden to see emerging bands play in a tiny room packed with a great crowd.
2. Laugh the night away every Thursday at the North London Tavern in Kilburn, a pub that also does open mic, quiz nights and karaoke with a live band 
3. The Ivy House in Nunhead is a cavernous community-owned pub that hosts punk, poetry, pool tables and Sunday jazz. .
4. Head to The Oval Tavern in Croydon to enjoy the jam-packed schedule of quiz nights, live music and community events.
5. Sample the wide range of bourbons, whiskies and ryes while checking out live music at King's Cross's award-winning The Lexington.
6. Listen to music by candlelight at the George Tavern, the huge Shadwell pub that's one of the oldest in London with excellent gigs where musicians merge into the crowd.
7. Roar with laughter at The Coach House, an old Victorian public house in Piccadilly that is making a name for itself with varied stand-up comedy acts.
8. Walk in the footsteps of musical giants from Bob Dylan to Joni Mitchell at the Troubadour, an Earl's Court pub that still hosts great acts.
9. Go to The Bedford for a one-stop shop for fun with everything from dance classes to comedy and live sport.

Canal and riverside pubs in London

1. Enjoy lazy afternoons by the river at The Bell & Crown in Chiswick, a cosy dog-friendly pub with a fire for colder days.
2. People-watch from the Hammersmith riverside at The Dove, once frequented by famous literary figures including Dylan Thomas and Graham Greene.
3. Look out for the hangman’s noose, alluding to the pub's murky past, at Wapping's The Prospect of Whitby, one of London's oldest riverside pubs.
4. Tuck into fish and chips at the Anchor Bankside, which comes into its own in the summer months when a riot of flowers bloom outside.
5. Make a pit stop in Islington at The Narrowboat on the Regent’s Canal as you enjoy the beautiful walk from Angel to Victoria Park.
6. Join a lively crowd in Wandsworth’s famous beer garden on the river at The Ship.
7. Relax in the leafy riverside garden at Fulham's The Crabtree to escape from the bustle of the city.
8. While away summer days at The Union Tavern, with outdoor seating overlooking the canal in Westbourne Grove.
9. Take in the fantastic views and be warmed by lovely open fires at The Gun, on the Isle of Dogs opposite The O2.
10. Look out for millionaires as they head to their yachts in tranquil St Katharine Docks at The Dickens Inn.
11. Eat hearty plates of comfort food at the Trafalgar Tavern, one of Greenwich's popular riverside pubs.

London pubs for vegans and vegetarians

1. With local beers on draft and 100% plant-based menu, The Peachy Goat in Herne Hill is a haven for south London veggies.
2. Devour delicious Mexican food at The Spread Eagle in Homerton, London’s first fully vegan pub.

Quirky pubs in London

 

1. A mecca for fans of country music, The Duke’s Head, aka Duke’s Of Highgate – a play on Dukes Of Hazzard – is London’s answer to a classic honky tonk bar, with live music and 100 bourbons.
2. Mix with a lively bunch of bohemian regulars at the French House, a Soho institution where beer is served in half-pints only and phones are banned.
3. Admire the iconic flower-filled facade before checking out the Churchill memorabilia at the Churchill Arms.
4. Play your favourite arcade and escape games or belt out karaoke at the fun-loving Four Thieves near Clapham Junction.
5. Feel the house party vibes on the dancefloor downstairs at The Queen Adelaide, a gay pub in Hackney with quirky decor and a great atmosphere.
6. Enjoy a tipple in the upstairs gin parlour of Mr Fogg's Tavern, an eccentric pub based on the fictional explorer Phileas Fogg.
7. Decked out like a secret bar in a 1940s underground station, Cahoots is located in an old air raid shelter in Soho.
8. Listen out for the clink of chains at The Viaduct Tavern, a pub located on the site of a former prison with a classic opulent Victorian "gin palace" interior.
9. Admire the artwork from cartoonist Gerald Scarfe at Scarfes Bar in Bloomsbury, a cosy pub with a roaring fire and shelves brimming with antique books.
10. Spot everyone from Wonder Woman to The Blues Brothers at The Alma, a Wandsworth boozer packed with movie paraphernalia.
11. Marvel at the art deco exterior of the wedge-shaped pub, The Blackfriar, which also features bizarre medieval church style interiors
12. Relax in sumptuous surrounding at The Old Bank of England, converted from the Law Courts branch of the Bank of England.
13. Belgravia’s The Grenadier was once an officer’s mess and maintains a military theme with old uniforms. Visitors are invited to pin money to the wall for Cedric, the local ghost.

Top theatre pubs

1. Head upstairs at the Old Red Lion by Angel station to enjoy fringe theatre in a cosy setting.
2. Watch plays from emerging writers and Edinburgh Fringe previews in the intimate pub theatre at the Hen & Chickens.
3. Discover talent in a striking space at The Landor, a pub that also hosts great quiz and karaoke nights.
4. Check out one of the ground-breaking pieces of new writing from Theatre503, who put on more than 100 new works a year at The Latchmere.
5. Enjoy a diverse programme at the established Brockley Jack Theatre in south east London.

Cosy London pubs

1. Curl up next to open fires in The Holly Bush, Hampstead's cosiest hangout.
2. Herne Hill’s grand coach house, the Half Moon, has several different bars including an intimate snug that’s worth turning up early to snag.
3. Sip on great beer at The Holy Tavern, a wood-clad pub in Clerkenwell.
4. Seek out Ye Olde Mitre, often called London's most hidden pub, and reward yourself with a pint of real ale by the ancient indoor cherry tree.
5. Head over to The Spaniards Inn on Hampstead Heath for a historic country pub feel less than half-an-hour from central London.
6. Stop off at the Lass O' Richmond Hill after a long walk in Richmond Park, and relax in comfy leather seats by roaring fires.
7. Listen to the soothing sounds of jazz on plush velvet sofas at The Bull's Head in Barnes.

Real ale and craft beer pubs

1. Enjoy a great selection of craft beers with specially paired dishes from the menu at The Earl of Essex.
2. Take a look at the hundreds of beer mats above the bar at The Harp, a small pub with a huge selection of beers around the corner from Leicester Square.
3. Order a beer flight to sample four different beers from the brewing powerhouse, Brewdog, in Camden.
4. Try one of 26 draught beers while waiting for a train at the tiny Euston Tap.
5. Join Camberwell locals sipping on craft beer in friendly surroundings at the Stormbird.
6. Dedicated to independent UK ale and cider, The Southampton Arms in Kentish Town combines a great vibe with a great taste in drinks.
7. Find The Rake, a tiny pub at the back of Borough Market, and discover the hundreds of beers on offer.
8. Sip on the freshest beer in London at the Long Arm, where beer is poured straight from the tank brewing at the bar.
9. The Guinea Grill is a Mayfair institute that prides itself on pouring the perfect pint of the black stuff.

Keep exploring London's drinking scene with the top breweries and distilleries in the city, or check out London's best beer gardens for a spot in the sunshine.