The best pubs in Camden

A true classic, The Dublin Castle is one of a circuit of London venues that make up the proving ground for any up-and-coming band. It’s dim and far from salubrious: upholstered couches; plastic flowers; mirrors dotted with fingerprints and posters all over the walls hint at the bands who’ve come through here – from Madness to Blur. We love it, and you will too. 

An hidden-away Irish boozer just off Camden High Street, we almost don’t want to tell you about this gem of a pub so we can keep it all to ourselves. They pour a mighty fine Guinness, it’s decked out in Irish football scarves and there are regular trad music nights. A little bit of heaven. 

A rock 'n' roll watering hole off the beaten Camden track, The Black Heart falls somewhere between an American dive bar and a classic British rock pub. For the thirsty there's a good range of local beers, and live music – like many a Camden pub – is a given.

Britpop’s unofficial HQ, The Good Mixer is no longer as rough and ready as it was in the 1990s – or even when Amy Winehouse could be found hustling tourists on the pool table – but it’s still well worth a pint or three. 

Up and away from the bustling heart of Camden, you’ll find The Lord Stanley on the residential backstreets of the neighbourhood. This makes for a more chilled-out vibe than Camden’s biggest boozers, with tasty gastropub meals and laidback Sunday roasts. 

London’s most goth pub – aka The Devonshire Arms – is a place where you’ll get a funny look if you're wearing anything that’s not black. That said, it’s a very friendly spot, and one where heavy metal reigns supreme. 

Camden High Street can be a bit of a tourist trap, but The Elephant's Head has retained a locals vibe. A tiled Victorian drinking den, its long been a favourite in the London rockabilly scene, so expect to see a couple of quiffs in the crowd.

This garish-looking yellow-and-blue boozer is a characterful reminder of how the area once was. It’s an Irish pub with an Irish welcome, which manages to feel like a real sanctuary from the outside world.

Located just beyond the lock, the Hawley Arms is a vast Victorian boozer that has risen from the ashes of the Great Fire of Camden in 2008. Its biggest claim to fame is that the late Amy Winehouse once pulled pints behind the bar. It’s not quite as rocking as it once was, but live music prevails alongside pub lunches and tourist traffic.

An independent boozer, people love the Colonel for its old-school ambience and Sunday roasts. It’s tucked down the backstreet near Camden Road station and does a strong trade in gin. It's also a comedy hotspot with regular stand-up as well as a roaring trade in pub quizzes.

What feels like worlds away, but is actually a mere 7-minute walk from Camden’s grimy heart is a polished London institution. The Engineer is on a residential street corner in Primrose Hill, and its interior is just as neatly painted and shiny as its façade. Downstairs, small high tables cluster around the pretty dark wood bar, but upstairs is a cosy and colourfully wallpapered dining room which is a lovely place to sit if you’re ordering food – and it has its own bar.

For the biggest beer garden in the area, take a trip down Mornington Terrace and find the Edinboro Castle stretching back beside the road and hosting a whole lot of picnic benches. There’s shelter and heaters for colder months too. Inside, expect continental lagers and a hearty food menu.