Pineapple

So great is Kentish Town’s love of the Pineapple that when the pub was threatened with redevelopment into flats in 2002, locals started a campaign to save it – and got the place listed by English Heritage in just eight days. This backstreet boozer dates back to the mid-nineteenth century, and you can feel the history in the weathered wood of the joyously unmodernised main bar. There’s also a conservatory at the back, and outdoor tables when the weather’s good. The Pineapple hosts a variety of special events, including semi-annual beer festivals, but it’s at its best on an ordinary weekend, when the locals crowd in for a pint and a gab-fest. And there’s cheap Thai food if you want to settle in for the long haul.