The 50 best pubs in London

What is it? A titan of the flat-roof scene. 

Why we love it: To the ignorant and uninitiated, the Shakespeares Head is known as ‘that dicey looking pub opposite Sadler’s Wells’. It’s their loss. The throwback flat-roof exterior belies a charming interior, one beloved by the geezer-y regulars and London’s contemporary dance aficionados. Behind the very trad L-shaped bar (half of which is inexplicably made of bricks), you’ll also find some of the friendliest and most efficient staff in central London. The Shakespeares Head also boasts what is probably the area’s nicest (and biggest) beer garden. Take a while to peruse and enjoy the framed photos of thesps and dancers through the ages, which hang on the pub’s walls.

Time Out tip: It’s possible to sneak out of a show at Sadler’s Wells during the intermission and down a pint here. Don’t worry about missing the second half, bartenders will ring a bell letting you that it’s time to head back to the theatre.

Address: 1 Arlington Way, Islington, EC1R 1XA.

What is it? Soho’s old school-styled pavement packer.

Why we love it: There are four pubs with this name in Soho. But, if we’re being honest, there’s only one. Sometimes referred to as Norman’s The Coach and Horses, after its legendary and quarrelous landlord (who recently passed away at the grand old age of 99), this place was once part of the deadly ‘Soho triangle’ of boozers, along with the French House and the Colony Club. Current landlady Ali and her team run a tight ship, impressive when you consider how busy it gets during the after-work rush. A must-visit for anyone after a gratifying and unpretentious dose of the rambunctious atmosphere Soho was once known for. Now with added Monster Munch.

Time Out tip: The pub (and adjacent pavements) are heaving every night, but the Coach and Horses is shockingly peaceful during the day. A great spot for a sit down and an afternoon Guinness.

Address: 29 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 5DH.

What is it? A cat crazy neighbourhood pub.

Why we love it: Tucked away on Orford Road in Walthamstow Village, it’s bright, cosy and gloriously eccentric, welcoming ale drinkers, pizza fans and, crucially, cats and those who love them. Inside, faded sofas invite you to sink in for the afternoon, while a spacious beer garden provides plenty of room for sunny-day pints. There’s a warm, slightly scruffy charm to the place, with a genuine community feel.

Time Out tip: Regular events including life drawing, pub quizzes and live music add to its character. There’s plenty to do here, and that’s why people come back for more. 

Address: 9 Orford Road, Walthamstow, E17 9LP.

What is it? The real deal, complete with well-fingered piano. 

Why we love it: Lined in red velvet and showcasing one the greatest pub carpets of the last 50 years, the Pride of Spitalfields is a prime example of what makes trad pubs great. Evenings here are always a bit of a smoosh, especially in the small side room, but in among the occasional bewildered tourist, high-flying fashion designer, and monied art dealer, you’ll find an extremely welcoming pub. Punters often spill out onto the cobbled street - join them, then ask a regular about the late, and much-missed Lenny, one of the most iconic pub cats to have ever purred.

Time Out tip: Swing by at lunchtime and you might just secure an excellent salt-beef sarnie.

Address: 3 Heneage Street, Shoreditch, E1 5LJ.

What is it? The funnest pub in London (and our Number 1 for 2025), this excellently offbeat, queer-friendly boozer sits in the bones of a grand, 1930s timber building.

Why we love it: The Old Nun’s Head is incapable of standing still. In recent years it’s become south east London’s favourite unofficial queer venue, thanks to an array of campy entertainment including speed-dating, drag king cabaret, and nights like Pop-Up Dyke Bar and the messy, cream-splattered and highly NSFW Cake Sit. Just around the corner from 2023’s Time Out Pub of the Year, the equally rowdy Skehans, it might also be the only pub in London with a Britney Spears shrine. Wondering about the name? A nunnery once stood on this site, and its rebellious Mother Superior was beheaded during the Reformation. Comedian Phil Wang even took us to the Old Nun’s Head on our podcast. What more could you want? 

Time Out tip: Sunday roasts here are very decent, with veggie and vegan haggis options as well as extra gravy for all! 

Address: 15 Nunhead Green, Nunhead, SE15 3QQ.

What is it? There aren’t many London boozers like the incomparable Seven Stars, famous for a resident cat who wears an Elizabethan ruff.

Why we love it: Tucked away behind the Royal Courts of Justice, the tiny, charismatic pub - and long-standing Time Out favourite, named our Best Pub of 2003 - is where in-the-know Londoners sequester themselves away for an all-night session under the watchful eye of legendary Aussie landlady and London hospitality hero Roxy Beaujolais. Dating back to 1602, a good 64 years before the Great Fire of London, the Seven Stars creaks with history, thanks to ancient, rickety floorboards, and terrifyingly steep steps to the loos, though the interiors are largely Victorian thanks to decades of refits. 

Time Out tip: If you’re peckish the blackboard bistro menu always delivers. 

Address: 53 Carey Street, Holborn, WC2A 2JB.

What is it? An ancient inn hiding in plain sight in the residential hinterlands between Notting Hill and High Street Ken.

Why we love it: Clad in aged wood and boasting the decorative wooden snob screens installed by the Victorians to separate the sexes, drinking in the Windsor Castle feels like drinking in a historical BBC drama. Between the compartments are doors so tiny that you might accidently decapitate yourself after one too many drinks, but such is the fun of drinking in this west London boozer, which seems to rise from out of nowhere.

Time Out tip: The frankly stunning Holland Park is just moments away. Take in the rarefied air then come here for pints. 

Address: 114 Campden Hill Road, W8 7AR. 

What is it? A friendly Shoreditch pub that isn’t like other Shoreditch pubs. 

Why we love it: Any pub that has a giant James Dean statue welcoming you inside is alright in our book. Across the way from the equally old-school Ironmonger Row swimming baths on the backroads by Old Street, you’ll find one of London’s best boozer secrets. Even if you’re a first-timer, Brendan the landlord will welcome you in like an old friend. Their swirly 1970s carpet is present and correct, and there’s live music every Saturday night on the bar’s tiny but powerful stage. All pubs used to be like this. Cherish The Britannia.

Time Out tip: Keep your eyes open for occasional karaoke nights. 

Address: 94 Ironmonger Row, Shoreditch, EC1V 3QR.

What is it? A rowdy Irish pub with immaculate craic. 

Why we love it: A former Number 1 in this very list, Skehans is the definition of a party pub. With live music six nights a week, you’re just as likely to stumble across a vintage folk session as you are a local grindcore act taking their first tentative steps into tinnitus. The imposing red brick pub’s awesome hill-top location also takes some beating, with impressive views of the city. Expect Camberwell art students, legions of loyal drinkers and Insta-punters in search of the perfect pint of Guinness.  

Time Out tip: The Thai food here is delicious. Make ours a yellow prawn curry.

Address: 1 Kitto Road, Nunhead, SE14 5TW.

What is it? A Victorian-era Clapton pub that has gone under more names than we care to remember, but has now reached its final - and perfect - form; a trad-feeling Irish pub called Moylett’s. 

Why we love it: Come for cheap-ish pints of Guinness (£5.50 is a steal in the ghastly age of the £8 pint), as well as a weekly chess club, a basement nightclub, and regular supper clubs and residencies spotlighting emerging chefs. Recent guests include former Kiln chef Gareth Chambers and his Irish Shpice pop-up which served serious spice bags from Lunar New Year through to St Patrick’s Day.

Time Out tip: Want to make a crawl out of it? The pub is just around the corner from Clapton Hart, Blondies and My Neighbours the Dumplings.

Address: 181 Clarence Road, Lower Clapton, E5 8EE.

What is it? A truly trad pub in Catford. 

Why we love it: Good things come to those who venture into deepest south London. Made up of three tiny, dark, wood-panelled rooms, with a bar in each housing framed jockey portraits, the Blythe Hill Tavern is one of the finest Irish pubs outside of the Emerald Isle. There’s Guinness, of course, a fair few whiskies and regular trad music sessions. The best part though? The incredibly dapper tie-and-waistcoat wearing bar staff. 

Time Out tip: Thursdays at 9pm is when the traditional Irish music sessions start. Penny whistles and fiddles galore.

Address: 319 Stanstead Road, Catford, SE23 1JB.

What is it? Bradley’s Spanish Bar is neither particularly Spanish nor a bar. 

Why we love it: Mere metres from the human blizzard that is Oxford Street, Bradley’s is a ragged and rugged alleyway pub, a magical world inside which the stresses and strains of London don’t seem to matter. The mere fact this rickety spot exists is a miracle; everything about it defies prevailing logic. While so much of the city is swallowed up by identikit design and tasteful-by-committee developments, Bradley’s pokey two floors and death-trap staircase to a windowless basement are exhilaratingly transgressive. Feels less like you’re in central London and more like you’re drinking in the mess deck of a ship.

Time Out tip: Bradley’s contains what is probably the most famous jukebox in London. 

Address: 42-44 Hanway Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 1UT.

What is it? A Grade II-listed gin palace that’s as gregarious as it is grand. 

Why we love it: Built in the 1850s and spruced up forty years later, the Warrington Hotel still stands proud as London’s most opulent boozer, and a fine example of the palatial pub architecture the Victorians were so fond of. Marvel at the entrance, all golden tiling and floor mosaics. Go wild for the Art Nouveau touches. Glamorously descend from the Titanic-esque staircase after a trip to the bogs. Incredibly, for an establishment that looks this grand, there’s no airs and graces here: this is a proper pub, and one that attracts a varied clientele. The drinks are reasonably priced, there’s karaoke on the weekends, and they show all the live sports. They even put on darts tournaments in the decidedly more modern sports bar section of the pub. 

Time Out tip: Indulged in a few too many Madris? Check yourself into one of the ten hotel rooms upstairs and sleep it off. 

Address: 93 Warrington Crescent, Maida Vale, W9 1EH.

What is it? Don’t be fooled by the Holy Tavern’s 18th century affectations. This side street boozer might look the part, what with its scuffed wooden floor, peeling paint and tatty Delftware-style tiles, but it’s actually only been a pub since 1996.

Why we love it: None of that stops it from being utterly charming. First known as the Jerusalem Tavern, it’s been the Holy Tavern since 2022 and the building does actually date back to 1720, so it’s far from ersatz, feeling like a historic coffee house from the era. Outside might look a little gothic, but inside is cosy as anything, complete with a roaming cat and assorted nooks and crannies. As soon as the clocks go back the pub truly comes into its own; lit by candles and with the strange feeling that William Hogarth might tumble through the doors at any moment. 

Time Out tip: Some of the best restaurants in London can be found in Clerkenwell. Why not follow your pint with dinner at St John, Bouchon Racine or Quality Chop House.

What is it? Time Out’s London Pub of the Year 2024. 

Why we love it: A former topper of this very list, the Army & Navy is still as popular as ever. A classic-looking 1930s-built boozer, here you’ll rub shoulders with local chefs, grown-up indie sleaze icons who’ve decamped from the Spurstowe Arms, and long-standing regulars who’ve seen it all. A proud Arsenal pub, match days here are rammed and pleasingly rowdy. Something of a celebrity itself, you also might have spotted its swirly-carpeted interior in Baby Reindeer, where it plays a venue in Edinburgh (such range!). The Army & Navy is the very definition of a proper pub and we absolutely love it. 

Time Out tip: The beer garden is massive, with space for even the biggest groups of pals.

Address: 1-3 Matthias Road, Mayville Estate, N16 8NN

What is it? A new pub that feels like an old pub.

Why we love it: If the Pocket feels familiar, that’s because it comes to you from the same independent pub pros as Gospel Oak’s Southampton Arms. Despite appearances, the Pocket hasn’t been here for 100 years, but opened by stealth in the spring of 2025, complete with new-old wood panelling, a 1930s anaglypta ceiling, and a nerdishly impressive collection of 1970s pub ashtrays (on the walls alas, not the tables). The Pocket’s premise is simple, and, let’s be honest, perfect: ‘No reservations. No green food. No shit beer. No terrible modern music.’ Bar snacks come in various shades of beige (scotch eggs, sausage rolls, pasties, and pork pies), and the vinyl record player favours vintage jazz and soul. Perhaps most importantly, beer is priced according to strength, meaning it’s possible to get that rare thing - a London pint for a fiver. We are fully in the Pocket’s pocket.

Time Out tip: The battered upright piano gets played three times a week. Check the chalkboard for details of the next sesh.  

Address: 25 Canonbury Lane, Islington, N1 2AS.

What is it? Holloway’s hidden gem; a perfectly preserved wet-led boozer.

Why we love it: Holloway might just be the best drinking district in all the capital, due to the sheer variety of pubs on offer: from the easy Irish charm of The Floirin and The Crown to the smarter, gastro offerings of The Landseer Arms or The Swimmer at the Grafton Arms. And, of course, there’s Big Red. But The Prince Edward is undoubtedly the area’s pièce de résistance. Built in the early 1860s, the pub retains many of its original Victorian flourishes – the Lincrusta ceiling; the rich, burgundy banquette booths; the two majestic copper reliefs depicting Prince Edward himself – and as such remains one of the finest interiors in London in which to sink a pint (or six). 

Time Out tip: Although the pub gets very busy on Arsenal matchdays, nab a table and you’ll be treated to complimentary hot sausages and chips. 

Address: 38 Parkhurst Road, Holloway, N7 0SF.

What is it? The best Guinness in west London? Undoubtedly. 

Why we love it: There were once seven branches of the Irish bar Angie’s in London. Today there are just three – in Harlesden, Willesden Green, and here, in Maida Hill. It’s the pick of the bunch: a backstreet boozer that pours what many aficionados consider the best Guinness in London. Plus, at under a fiver for a pint, you can spend an entire afternoon here deep in refreshment and not feel like you'll have to eat beans for the rest of the month. 

Time Out tip: On warm days, secure a bench outside for a blissful day of sun-kissed pinting.

Address: 33-35 Woodfield Place, Maida Hill, W9 2BJ.

What is it? One of the most perfect pub experiences you’ll get in the West End. What with its looming canopy of obscure copper implements, swirly carpet, walls covered in vintage tat and dark red leather seating, a warm welcome is always guaranteed at The Cross Keys. 

Why we love it: Dating back to the 1840s (but with a real 1970s vibe too), this Covent Garden mainstay has long been one of the best boozers in the area. Whatever the season, you’ll always spy a smoking-and-drinking crowd at the foot of this pub on the pavement. The wall tat too, is wild in its scope, from classic rock paraphernalia to Victorian porn. Mark our words: the day the forgotten poster from 2007 advertising DVD-mail service LoveFilm is removed from the top floor womens loo is the day our nation crumbles. 

Time Out tip: Need booze-fuel? Grab a battered sausage from the Rock & Sole Plaice chippy a couple of doors down. 

Address: 31 Endell Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9EB.

What is it? A community classic in south London. 

Why we love it: This roomy Nunhead venue became the first pub to be listed under the Localism Act when threatened with redevelopment in 2012. Locals raised a whopping £1 million to buy the property and turn it into a cooperative. These days it hosts all sorts of community events, including trad music nights, quizzes, comedy, cabarets, speed dating nights and sports screenings run by local grassroots teams. You may have even spotted it on Netflix recently, appearing in Lena Dunham’s ‘Too Much’. Back in the 1970s the Ivy House hosted a plethora of pub rock talent, including Joe Strummer, Ian Dury and Jeff Beck. You’ll never get bored of drinking here.

Time Out tip: Honestly, the events held at this pub are so varied there’s almost definitely something for you, be it their monthly feminist sci-fi book club, or book events (Kevin Rowland from Dexys Midnight Runners and Dave Rowntree from Blur have both recently chatted about theirs). 

Address: 40 Stuart Road, Nunhead, SE15 3BE.

What is it? A micropub in a deliriously historic-feeling cobbled Victorian stables in Stoke Newington.

Why we love it: Macintosh Ale House is a pint phenomenon. The home ground for one-man brewery Mackintosh Ales, there are two beers on offer; bitter on handpump and pale ale on keg. Want a spicy marg? You’ll have to go elsewhere. It’s more than enough for the residents of Stoke Newington though, and since opening in 2023, the pub has outgrown its tiny one room lodgings, and extended into a secondary, overflow space. Sunny weekend afternoons see the atmospheric courtyard heaving with punters. It’s particularly scenic in the evenings, looking like something out of a wartime detective novel.  

Time Out tip: Macintosh Ale House is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so plan accordingly (aka go to the Auld Shillelagh across the road instead). 

Address: 1 Bouverie Road, Stoke Newington, N16 0AH.

What is it? A handsome backstreet pub in the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral. 

Why we love it: There’s been a pub here since the 16th century, and going by the crowds this place pulls in, there’ll be one here for the next 500 years. The majestic corner boozer gets its name from the not-very-pleasant ancient sport of making chickens fight each other to the death, and there’s a gallery here suggesting this pub used to be used for that sort of thing (we’re convinced it’s all a bit of Victorian theatre, however). Watch out for Royal Bank of Scotland staff on weekdays.

Time Out tip: Bard-botherers will get off on the fact that the pub is very near to the site of a house bought by William Shakespeare. 

Address: 7 St Andrew’s Hill, City of London, EC4V 5BY.

What is it? One of Soho’s finest establishments, and a great people-watching spot. 

Why we love it: The Old Coffee House is often overlooked when the discussion of Soho’s best pub comes up. Maybe it’s their toilets, which like many in the area are nothing to write home about. Maybe it’s the pub’s location, set away from the more popular establishments usually in the running. But make no mistake, this Beak Street boozer is right up there with the W1 greats. For starters, it’s one of the last proper old school Soho gaffs in town. Independent, intimate, and with all manner of bric-a-brac adorning the deep vermillion walls, it’s the sort of place where you can imagine old actors, ingénues, and pint-hardened writers rubbing shoulders on a smoky 1950s Saturday afternoon. And today, a wonderful pub to quench one’s thirst for post-work pints.

Time Out tip: Stand on the Marshall Street side of the pub on any given afternoon and watch the world go by – truly the best way to see Soho. 

Address: 49 Beak Street, Soho, W1F 9SF.

What is it? A tucked-away timewarp in Bloomsbury. 

Why we love it: Like something straight out of a moody, bitter-splattered Patrick Hamilton novel, The Duke is an elegantly wasted vintage space; all art deco mirrors, mahogany booths, and the small chance that you might contract rickets by the end of the evening. You’ll find it down a wonderfully atmospheric mews in boozy, literary Bloomsbury. Expect anyone you take here to be deeply impressed. 

Time Out tip: It’s a surprisingly great spot to watch big footie games – never too full, but always vibey.

Address: 7 Roger Street, Bloomsbury, WC1N 2PB.

What is it? An iconic Irish pub, swimming in Guinness. 

Why we love it: London’s infatuation with Guinness has been incredibly well-documented – some might say over-documented. So we’ll spare you the tired jokes about ‘splitting the G’, but if you do happen to be one of the capital’s new generation of semi-ironic Guinness drinkers, you’d do well to sample it at this Irish boozer. And while it might have been responsible for the first viral hit for an inescapable food influencer, don’t let that put you off. This is an always-lively spot with a diverse clientele that strikes just the right balance between cheerful auld fellas and sentient Real Housewives of Clapton memes. 

Time Out tip: The pub might seem small from the outside, but there’s a deceptively large beer garden out back. It’s cosy year-round, thanks to ample patio heaters.

Address: 105 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0UD.

What is it? A boozy bolthole in a semi-secret nook of Southwark.

Why we love it: With its yellow anaglypta ceiling wallpaper, stunning tiling, red banquette seating, and warm-toned L-shaped wooden bar, the Grade II listed Lord Clyde is giving serious 1930s glamour. Their extremely well-placed gathering of outdoor benches makes for one of the most enviable al fresco drinking areas in town. 

Time Out tip: The ‘secret’ sideroom is the perfect place for a discreet meeting. Do your thing. We won’t tell. 

Address: 27 Clennam Street, Southwark, SE1 1ER.

What is it? The Famous Royal Oak in Muswell Hill might just be one of the strangest pubs in London.

Why we love it: From the outside, it looks more like a primary school prefab, and as such you’d assume it would have all the spartan trappings that often come with this sort of flat roof exterior. But cross its threshold and you’re transported into a vintage Edwardian drinking den, with gorgeous leather banquettes, mahogany panelled bar, and walls adorned with all manner of trinkets.

Time Out tip: In the summer the front patio doubles up as a BBQ space – expect mountains of grilled meat and potato salad.

Address: 73 St James's Lane, Muswell Hill, N10 3QY.

What is it? One of central London’s best pubs, and far enough away from the Soho crowds as not to be maddeningly busy all the damn time.

Why we love it: The Ship has got it all; it’s a grand, Grade II listed space ideal for pub architecture pervs; it’s been run by the same family for over 60 years; and the walls are simply dripping with beer and booze related tat. It’s close to the BBC, so expect to see overflow from Radio 2 and 6 Music staffers amongst the afternoon pint-sippers and attendees of the always-entertaining drag bingo nights.

Time Out tip: You’re a three-minute walk from Passyunk Avenue, a dive-bar styled Philadelphia fast food joint that’s weirdly very good. 

Address: 134 New Cavendish Street, Fitzrovia, W1W 6YB.

What is it? A highly atmospheric jazz pub. 

Why we love it: When people talk about old-school pubs in London they’re usually referring to places stuck in a 1970s or 1980s time warp. The Palm Tree is much older school than that. Stepping into this magical, cash-only East End boozer is like going back to the 1950s. It feels downright anachronistic that you aren’t allowed to smoke in here. The family-run Palm Tree is one of Mile End’s great survivors and stands out like an un-hammered nail in an area otherwise flattened by Nazi bombs and developers’ chequebooks. Its ambience is sublime and unique; a kind of woozy, red-tinged dreamworld, frequented by the most characterful locals you’re ever likely to meet.

Time Out tip: The Palm Tree is a musical pub, and the live jazz nights are well worth witnessing.

Address: 127 Grove Road, Mile End, E3 5BH.

What is it? Shepherd’s Bush’s best kept secret. 

Why we love it: A pre-match haunt of Queen’s Park Rangers fans, the Shepherd & Flock on Goldhawk Road has an exterior as vivid and colourful as the punters found inside it. The pub is in many ways the perfect winter pub: dark, Victorian, and with enough cosy nooks and crannies in which to spend a conspiratorial evening sheltered from the swarming shoppers of Shepherd’s Bush.

Time Out tip: It gets particularly busy on weekends, so get down early to guarantee yourself a seat.

Address: 84 Goldhawk Road, Shepherd’s Bush, W12 8HA.

What is it? A festive-feeling bolthole.  

Why we love it: Join the glorious geezers in this absolutely timeless south London pub. The bright red exterior is calling for you to take a trip inside; just don’t play the piano or challenge anyone to a frame of pool unless you want to make some friends. The cosiness factor here is off the chain, with twinkling, festive lights up year-round and a warm hug of a welcome guaranteed. 

Time Out tip: Miss the pub’s annual autumn Pickle Festival at your peril. 

Address: 116 Prince Street, Deptford, SE8 3JD.

What is it? A legend in the pub karaoke game.

Why we love it: Karaoke is one of the best things about the pub. Whether you’re a seasoned crooner, or just someone who splutters their way through Rock DJ once a year after a few too many gin and tonics, the King’s Head on Blackstock Road is probably the best place to do it in London. Welcoming, warm, and with a wide array of talent levels – if you’ve been looking for a pub in which to surrender yourself to the Sunfly, look no further.

Time Out tip: Come on the right day and you’ll be treated to some of the finest pub sandwiches in town.

Address: 126 Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, N4 2DR.

What is it? A tiny Belgravia legend. 

Why we love it: Fans of chaotic stuff on the walls will be in heaven upon entering the Nags Head, which is covered with so much random tat you might think you’re at a car boot sale. Baseball reports? Sure. Garden tools? Why not. Vintage penny-slots? Order me a dozen. This tiny little pub is something of an outlier in Belgravia – if not London itself. There’s no swanky food menu and no mobile phones allowed on account of the famously crotchety landlord. What you get instead is far superior; a rarified, old school atmosphere and the chattiest clientele this side of the Thames.

Time Out tip: This is another cash-only joint, with a card minimum of £16. But pints are £8 each (sorry but this is Belgravia) so it’s easy enough to hit.

Address: 53 Kinnerton Street, Belgravia, SW1X 8ED.

What is it? A half-pint paradise and bohemian bolthole. 

Why we love it: Classics don’t come much more élégante than the French House. The pub’s mix of Soho regulars, hypebeast design dudes, fashion folk and the most eccentric of locals make it one of the best spots in town for striking up absolutely wild chats with fascinating strangers. Expect to see half of the British media in the tiny roped off outside area smoking roll-ups and drinking Cidre Breton. Remember, it only serves halves of beer, so don’t embarrass yourself by asking for anything as déclassé as a pint. 

Time Out tip: You’ll find one of London’s best restaurants tucked away upstairs.

Address: 49 Dean Street, Soho, W1D 5BG.

What is it? A classic of the flat-roof genre. 

Why we love it: The Heron is a bit of an anachronism for a pub this close to the centre of London. Flat-roofed and built into the bottom of a 1970s tower block, this dark and snug establishment is part-Thai restaurant, part-bric-a-brac-filled boozer – plus, if you have a particular penchant for moustaches, once a month the pub is home to the hirsute chaps of the Handlebar Club.

Time Out tip: Check out their recently refurbed hidden beer garden.

Address: 1 Norfolk Crescent, Paddington, W2 2DN.

What is it? Peckham’s least gentrified pub. 

Why we love it: There aren’t many boozers left in Peckham that haven’t been touched by the hands of modernity, but tucked away down an incongruous, sleepy backstreet lies one community local with an interior to transport you back to the 1970s. The Olde Apple Tree’s golden anaglypta ceilings, opulent furnishings, and William Morris-esque carpet will lure you in – but the mixed clientelé and cheap drinks prices will keep you there all night.

Time Out tip: In a charmingly old school way, the Olde Apple Tree doesn’t take card – so remember to pay a visit to the cash machine first.

Address: 107 Sumner Road, Peckham, Willowbrook Estate, SE15 6JU.

What is it? A solid pub on the coolest road in London. 

Why we love it: A Yard Sale delivery partnership, Deya on tap, and a hip young match-day crowd sporting the Arsenal x Aries collection are just a few of the ‘cool pub’ signifiers on display at this old-school independent spot in the Gooner heartlands. But you don’t need a mullet and a pristine JVC-era replica kit to feel welcome here. The atmosphere is as friendly as its name suggests, even when the pre-football crowd at the bar is six deep and it’s standing room only in the beer garden. 

Time Out tip: Treat yourself to a mezcal negroni. Dispensed from a spirit measure mounted behind the bar, it’s an immaculate combination of smoky, bitter and sweet.

Address: 224-226 Blackstock Road, Highbury, N5 1EA.

What is it? Possibly Dalston’s least performative pub. 

Why we love it: A corner boozer on a quiet backstreet, the Prince George is perfectly placed to sink a few pre-pints before a bigger night out on Kingsland Road. More importantly, it has everything you need in a decent pub; a pool table, a well-stocked jukebox, living-room adjacent interiors, beer from local breweries, a buzzy smoking area, hangover-curbing food offering (you can’t argue with those burgers), as well as plenty of nooks and crannies for gossiping.

Time Out tip: Get there before the after-work crowd and grab a table in the teeny back room with the dartboard and stage your own private tournament.

Address: 40 Parkholme Road, Dalston, E8 3AG.

What is it? A lovely little Victorian ale house near Hampstead Heath.

Why we love it: For the dark wood, flaky paint, chalkboard wine lists and offensively farty ale. Getting a garden seat in the summer is a bit like winning the lottery, but it’s even better in winter, where you can cosy up with a pint of craft and a mega pork roll with apple sauce. If you’re really lucky, an old man will start playing 12-bar blues on the piano. You will, I’m afraid, leave the Southampton Arms smelling faintly of meat, but that’s all part of the magic.

Time Out tip: The Southampton Arms is best attended after a bracing swim at the nearby Kenwood ponds on Hampstead Heath. 

Address: 139 Highgate Road, Gospel Oak, NW5 1LE.

What is it? A west London institution, the Cow is known throughout the city for its superior Guinness and wonderful seafood.

Why we love it: Get yourself a pint of prawns or a tower of whelks, crab and oysters and settle down for some excellent people watching. Expect aged rockers, Ab Fab fashion girlies and serious drinkers. There's an upstairs dining room if you're after something a little fancier, but the best seats in the house are down by the bar or on the small tables on the street. 

Time Out tip: The Cow Special is a classic order; Six Jersey Rocks with a pint of Guinness or glass of house wine.

Address: 89 Westbourne Park Road, W2 5QH.

What is it? A cavern of convivial joy on the fringes of Seven Sisters.

Why we love it: If you long for the glory days of the student union bar, try Mannion’s. Situated on a stark corner by a soulless north London retail park, Mannion’s defies its brutal location to become the most irrepressibly enjoyable pub in Tottenham. Guinness-sinking stalwarts line the bar while residents from the artsy warehouses nearby take to the stage for regular Friday night karaoke in front of a giant painting of Samuel Beckett. It’s also home to one of the greatest pieces of modern art in the city; an oil painted portrait of the landlord and landlady riding a horse. 

Time Out tip: It’s cash only for anything under £10 – but it’s also one of the last places in London where that'll cover two pints.

Address: 158 Broad Lane, Tottenham, N15 4QJ.

What is it? A cosy old school treasure in south London. 

Why we love it: Stumbling upon the Victoria feels like opening up a wonderful dusty portal to the past. Found down a highly quiet Bermondsey backstreet, there’s a lovely horseshoe bar, wooden snugs, classic Truman's Brewery tiling, and a solid pub grub menu. Due to the untouched interior, it’s featured in a bunch of movies and shows, including BBC’s 1970s and 1980s-set The Gold, Ashes to Ashes and Life On Mars, and, fittingly, their 1972 Evening Standard Pub of the Year plaque still takes pride of place. 

Time Out tip: There’s a massive cider menu – get stuck in.

Address: 68-70 Page’s Walk, Bermondsey, SE1 4HL.

What is it? An anarchic riverside hideaway and maybe the only pub in London safe from zombie apocalypse. 

Why we love it: With its cunning canalside location on the fringes of Clapton, the Anchor & Hope is a secret even to people who live around the corner. Best approached by bike (or boat) and with pleasantly anarchic tendencies, no other pub in London feels quite as much as if you’ve been transported to an early 1990s squat rave. With way more space outside than in, sitting on one of their waterfront wooden benches in the sun is truly one of the nicest things you can do on a Sunday afternoon. Powered by Scampi Fries, roll-ups and thoroughly random convos with whoever you happen to be sharing a table with, the Anchor and Hope is a secret worth sharing. 

Time Out tip: An al fresco jerk chicken stall fires up at weekends and you’ll find the occasional soundsystem party popping up on the pathway, too. 

Address: 15 High Hill Ferry, Clapton, E5 9HE. 

What is it? The Lazarus of London pubs.

Why we love it: Every week we hear about the closure of a much-loved pub. Not only was the Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale closed down, it was levelled by a wrecking ball. The pub was illegally demolished and, in one of those rare moves that make you want to kiss a councillor, the culprits were held to account and ordered to rebuild the whole thing, brick by brick, like a giant Lego set for drinkers. The pub reopened in 2021, exactly as it was when it poured its first pints 100 years previously. And it’s a beauty, one of those monolithic taverns with brown tiles

Time Out tip: Bar food promotions include a set of 20 wings in which one is nuclear on the Scoville scale. It comes with free milk. Pre-pints take a stroll around nearby Little Venice, London's answer to, er, Venice.

Address: 33 Carlton Vale, Maida Vale, NW6 5EU.

What is it? A music-obsessed, party boozer in Paddington. 

Why we love it: The first things you notice on entering the Royal Exchange are the vinyl turntables, mixer and amp, which occupy about 20 percent of the floor space. In a compact pub like this the effect is like parking a Range Rover in your kitchen. But music is the heart of this place. Should you wish, you can attend themed nights with DJs spinning Italo disco, reggae country, garage rock, goth, darkwave and industrial, Colombian cumbia, world music, space music, all of them with flyers styled like old fanzines. 

Time Out tip: A regular visitor to the pub and occasional Thursday night DJ is Paul Simonon, bassist with The Clash. His influence might explain the decor, which is revolutionary Cuba by way of west London. The Sandinista! album lives on in spirit here.

Address: 26 Sale Place, Paddington, W2 1PU.

What is it? It might look like a humble – if gloriously cosy – boozer, but the Wenlock Arms is actually a bastion of people power.

Why we love it: When developers applied to have the place knocked down and turned into residential units back 2010, fans of the pub (which poured its first beer in 1836) put up a fight and, with a bit of persistence, successfully campaigned to have it protected to fulfil its destiny as a pint paradise. One refurbishment later and the Wenlock beautifully balances its status as an old-school drinking den and a modern destination pub that hosts lip-smacking guest craft beers, live piano sessions and club nights at the weekend. Even the bar snacks range from traditional pies to vegan sausage rolls. Take that, developers!

Time Out tip: The most exciting new bar in London (according to us), Tramps Bar, is just around the corner. 

Address: 26 Wenlock Road, Islington, N1 7TA.

RECOMMENDED: The best pubs in Islington. 

What is it? In operation for three centuries (it opened around 1720), this Grade II* listed Bloomsbury boozer boasts a glorious Victorian interior.

Why we love it: Publicity shots of the largely forgotten likes of Lilian Braithwaite and Seymour Hicks form two decorative rows across the walls of the cosy, varnished-wood interior, while the central horseshoe bar is ringed with original etched-glass snob screens, used to shield Victorian gentlemen when liaising with ‘women of dubious distinction’. They would have been wooed by tunes from the polyphon, a 19th-century music machine still standing in the corner. Slightly more modern lore includes Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, who were regulars at the pub, marrying at the nearby St George the Martyr Church just four months after they met. 

Time Out tip: The funnest Italian restaurant in London, Ciao Bella, is just next door. 

Address: 94 Lamb's Conduit Street, Bloomsbury, WC1N 3LZ. 

What is it? Finsbury Pink is not short of great pubs. But unlike some of its neighbours (we’re looking at you, Faltering Fullback), you might actually get a seat at the WB Yeats - even on Arsenal days.

Why we love it: This corner pub is perfectly primed for post-work vertical drinking The interiors are spectacularly cosy; the floors are wooden, the walls are a deep green and you’re surrounded by random artwork and odes to WB Yeats himself, whose face is printed on windows and in frames on the walls. A mass of red bar stools are for the taking - to be gathered around little tables or raucously amassed around the bar, which has classics, crafties and of course a great Guinness on draft.

Time Out tip: The Sunday roast is well loved, and they have not one but two Irish trad sessions a week. You’re a few minutes’ walk from some of our favourite restaurants in London: Tollington’s, Palmyra’s Kitchen and The Plimsoll.

Address: 20 Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, N4 3HU.

What is it? A Lewisham pub and club with a legendary beer garden masquerading as a vast adult playground full of festival-style canopies, benches, food trucks and a 1950s train carriage. 

Why we love it: The Fox’s free-spirited feel is embedded in its history. The second in the Firkin group, the slightly anarchic, student-friendly pub chain and brewery launched in 1979, the Fox & Firkin broke off as a rogue entity somewhere down the road. When the chain collapsed, the Fox survived - but only just. Much of the ethos remains. Not just a pub, the Fox is a year-round festival for daytime families and ravers alike. That train represents the just-do-it spirit that frequently sees the Fox rammed with the most mad-for-it people in London.

Time Out tip: Its musical programme - which takes place indoor, outdoor, late or all-day - is outstanding, a global offering of dub, rave, jazz, d’n’b, soul and highlife. Recent performers include Fabio & Grooverider, Mutya Buena and The Sugarhill Gang. 

Address: 316 Lewisham High Street, SE13 5EJ.

What is it? A recent Pub-Tok influencer described The Dacre Arms as ‘a slice of the Cotswolds in Lewisham’, and, improbably, it's hard to disagree.

Why we love it: Outside: a quiet street, trees, a church and a red telephone box. On the corner, the pub seems deceptively dinky and dainty. It has blooming hanging baskets and a set of tables down the side catching the late afternoon sun. Step through the door and, suddenly, you're in the 1950s, thanks to charming original features that survived a 1970s refit. On tap, Cruzcampo is the exotic choice. You might get the bartender whose sardonic humour and childlike twinkle gives you the feeling of being served by a lost BBC sitcom character. The modern world has not changed The Dacre Arms. They do not do food. But they do do Scampi Fries. Get some.

Time Out tip: Carry on your bucolic pub crawl in walkable Blackheath Village.

Address: 11 Kingswood Place, Blackheath, SE13 5BU.