Bars & Pubs

Fitzrovia
Fitzroy Tavern
If you only go to one…
The Fitzroy (1) wears its history with pride. Photos on the wall depict the pub in its heyday, when it was the haunt of hard-drinking boho locals. Originally named The Hundred Marks, the Fitzroy assumed its more familiar identity in 1919 when it was taken over by Polish immigrant Judah ‘Pop’ Kleinfeld. It soon became the hostel of choice for the area’s more outré residents. Augustus John, Jacob Epstein and Aleister Crowley were among the regulars. Nina Hamnett, the Queen of Bohemia, also drank here, trading anecdotes of her adventures with Picasso for drinks. Feature continues

The pub’s reputation as a literary boozer continued until the 1950s: Dylan Thomas, Laurence Durrell, George Orwell and Julian McLaren-Ross were all regulars. In celebration, the downstairs bar is now known as the Writers & Artists Bar, a giveaway that the pub dines out on former glories. It’s now a popular haunt for Charlotte Street’s more parsimonious advertising crowd; parsimonious because this is a Sam Smith’s pub. It’s not quite as atmospheric as most of Sam’s boozers, but is hugely popular on Thursday and Friday nights when the whole area becomes a heaving (sometimes literally) drinking den.

Best drink Pure Brewed Premier Lager.
When to go When you’re seeking literary inspiration (there’s comedy on Wednesdays).
Best seat Nice wooden booths downstairs.
Best snack KP ready salted peanuts.
16 Charlotte St, W1 ( 020 7580 3714).

Bradley’s Spanish Bar
Tiny, ramshackle Bradley’s (2) is part of the London drinker’s rite of passage. Stumble down the staircase and stare at anyone with a seat in a bid to intimidate them into giving up a bit of room. Then get drunk on expensive Spanish lager and sing along to ’60s classics on the famous jukebox. Oh, and never, ever go to the toilet. An institution.

Best drink Cruzcampo.
When to go You’ve more chance of finding a seat during the day, but there’s a great atmosphere on a Friday night.
Best seat The ground floor, next to the jukebox.
Best snack Pork scratchings.
42 Hanway St, W1 (020 7636 0359).

Newman Arms
One of Fitzrovia’s old-timers, the Newman (3) is famous for featuring in the first murder scene in ‘Peeping Tom’ and for selling some of London’s best pies. It is the pub described by George Orwell in both ‘Keep the Aspadistra Flying’ and ‘1984’. A recent refit has tidied up some of its rough edges.

Best drink London Pride.
When to go Excellent post-work mainstay.
Best seat Bench seating beneath the window.
Best snack A pie (mutton & barley) is hardly a snack, but they are very good.
23 Rathbone St, W1 (020 7636 1127).

Cock Tavern
Excellent pub (4) that’s always rammed with tourists, language students and local office workers. The Cock has been impeccably restored (old photos serve as a guide), but draws a younger crowd than most Sam Smith’s pubs.

Best drink Sam Smith’s Wheat Beer.
When to go After a hard day’s shopping.
Best seat At the back, next to the fireplace.
Best snack A good variety of McCoy’s.
27 Great Portland St, W1 (020 7631 5002)

The Yorkshire Grey
Another Sam Smith’s pub, the Grey (5) is slightly cramped, and your decision to settle in will probably depend on whether you nab the right seat. If you do, this boozer’s a cosy little hiding place.

Best drink Sam Smith’s Bitter.
When to go After work on a cold, rainy day.
Best seat The table next to the fire.
Best snack Crisps and peanuts.
46 Langham St, W1 (020 7636 4788).

Crown & Sceptre
Not the most historic pub in the area (6) – a recent refurbishment went for a bar feel over horse-brasses. It’s got an attractive horseshoe bar, high ceilings, and a decent wine list. In summer, hordes of drinkers spill outside (though we’re not sure of the hygiene implications of perching your pint on the abandoned Victorian toilet out the front).

Best drink Hoegaarden.
When to go If you can slip out of work early, bag a table before all the local workers stream in.
Best seat The sofas in the large alcove.
Best snack Wasabi peas.
26-27 Foley St, W1 (020 7307 9971).