London

The Lamb, Bloomsbury

Queen’s Larder
An unpretentious little Greene King pub (5), situated on the corner of Queen Square, which draws local doctors, lawyers, accountants, professors and a couple of regulars propping up the bar discussing the intricacies of the football league with the landlord. The landlord’s ex-wife’s collection of clown dolls still grin from above the bar.

Best drink Fruity seasonal ale Fireside was the guest beer when we were in; for a more refreshing session ale, there's Greene King IPA. We also spotted a bottle of Mars Vodka behind the bar – for those of you with a particularly sweet tooth.
When to go On a summer’s evening or a winter’s afternoon.
Best seat If you can brave the temperatures, the benches outside on Queen Square. Don’t worry, there are braziers.
Best snacks Mini Cheddars.
1 Queen Square, WC1 (020 7837 5627).
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The Lamb
The Lamb (6) appears in most Londoners’ top five favourite pubs, partly for its beers (Young’s and, since the merger, Charles Wells), partly for its pies (own-made steak and mushroom) and partly for the theatrically inclined Victorian interior which still has the etched-glass snob screens around the mahogany bar, a panelled ceiling and brass balustrades.
Best drink Toast the frost with a Young’s Winter Warmer.
When to go Wednesdays and Thursdays are the liveliest and draw a mixed crowd. To get a seat, wait till after the 5-8pm post-work crush.
Best seat Slide on to the green leather banquette in the main bar if you want to soak up the atmosphere.
Best snacks KP nuts, McCoy’s, Mini Cheddars.
94 Lamb’s Conduit St, WC1 (020 7405 0713).

Rugby Tavern
A light corner pub (7) off Lamb’s Conduit Street, on the corner of Rugby Street, frequented by lawyers and locals. Men in suits lunching on decent comfort food (pork and apple sausages, mash and gravy) kill any earthier pub characteristics, but there are always three Shepherd Neame beers on tap and the round central bar increases your chances of getting served. Decor is rugby-themed and memorabilia includes vintage photos of All Blacks teams from the 1920s. It’s closed at weekends and, deceptively from its name, big plasma screen and Antipodean bar staff, it doesn’t have Sky Sports. It’s up to you to decide whether this is a good thing.

Best drink Easy-drinking Kent’s Best (or – for the connoisseur – bottles of Shepherd Neame 1698, a stronger, maltier brew).
When to go Weekday lunchtimes.
Best seat Beat the regulars to the snug that’s behind the main bar and park yourself on the Chesterfield.
Best snacks Chunky chip butty.
19 Great James St, WC1 (020 7405 1384).

The Bountiful Cow
A superb little find in an alleyway off High Holborn, the Bountiful Cow (8) strikes the right balance between stylish bar and careworn boozer. Nothing special from the outside – a corner estate-pub with a neon sign like something from a Chinese restaurant – but the inside is more modish, with wooden banquettes and kitsch film posters on a cowboy theme. A beef-heavy menu is served in the basement dining room, but this pub-diner shows there are more possibilities for an ambitious boozer than a straightforward gastropub makeover.

Best drink Harvey’s.
When to go When you’ve a hankering for some cow.
Best seat Underneath the Ronald Reagan-Barbara Stanwyck poster.
Best snack Macadamia nuts.
51 Eagle St, WC1 (020 7404 0200).