London's best craft beer bars and pubs

US-style craft beers are becoming popular in London – and these are the best places to drink them

Craft beer – interesting, progressive beers made by small-scale breweries, and distinct from real ale – is often explosively hoppy and quite unlike traditional British beer. An increasing number of London bars and pubs are specialising in them. Here's our pick.

Do you have a favourite bar that serves brilliant craft beer? Let us know about it – leave a comment below.

Craft beer bars and pubs in central London

Craft Beer Company
Rating: 3/5 82 Leather Lane, EC1N 7TR
A whopping 37 beers are served on draught here, and owners work directly with microbreweries to snag some rare and unusual tipples. The USA and Belgium are well represented in the selection of bottles. Look out for exclusive imported beers you won't see anywhere else in London. There is a second branch in Brixton.
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Draft House
Rating: 3/5 43 Goodge St, W1T 1TA
Eclectic beers and pub-style food are clearly proving a good formula for the Draft House mini-chain – this is their fifth branch. Smaller than its older siblings, this pub is more about supping pints (or thirds of pints if you want to vary your drinking) than sitting down to a relaxed meal, including the likes of Brewdog, Dark Star Hophead, and Sambrook's Wandle, among a dozen fine brews.
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Holborn Whippet
Rating: 3/5 Sicilian Avenue, WC1A 2QH
This place has a cracking beer selection, and unusual as they only sell draught. Sixteen beers and ciders on constant rotation are dispensed from a central column including the likes of Adnams, Bristol Beer Company, Dark Star and Williams Bros from the UK, and Konig, St Bernardus and Maisel from over the German Sea.
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Old Red Cow
Rating: 4/5 71 Long Lane, EC1A 9EJ
New owners have beefed up the beer offer in this historic Smithfield pub, fitting US-style back-bar taps and making them flow with a regularly changing selection of craft beers (there are real ales too). By the bottle, an interesting selection of larger offerings to share is welcome, and although the range is limited by fridge space, it's well chosen.
Read Old Red Cow review

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Beer Mutiny: British Craft Beer Festival Wednesday 19th June - Sunday 23rd June Arch 402, 37 Cremer Street, London, E2 8HD http://www.TheCraftBeerSocialClub.co.uk Beer Mutiny is the only beer festival that fights the establishment – no more dull beer, we say! Taste a fantastic range of beers from ALL OVER the UK. Shatter the perception that UK Beer is boring, and be proud to drink British! All sessions include a selection of over 30 beers to choose from. Plus! An introduction to the science behind how we taste! You'll learn some fascinating facts about how you experience flavour and how you can improve your palate! Tickets: £15 per person for ten beers £20 per person for ten beers plus snacks http://www.TheCraftBeerSocialClub.co.uk

Allison About 3 days ago
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I'm surprised that The Rake near Borough Market isn't on the list!

Michelle About 11 days ago
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