Why go: Dripping in flowers and crammed with memorabilia, The Churchill Arms is one of London’s most recognisable and famous watering holes. Built in 1750, the pub was frequented by Churchill’s grandparents and is known for serving real ales and authentic Thai cuisine.
Location: Kensington Map
Address: Kensington Church Street London
Why go: Nestled on the banks of the River Thames at Ballast Quay, The Cutty Sark has been a beloved institution for over 200 years, offering top-notch seasonal dishes made from premium British ingredients, complemented by exquisite wines from around the world and real ales
Address: 4-6 Ballast Quay, Greenwich
Why go: Reputed for serving the best pint of Guinness in London. If you don’t book you may find a queue to get in. The Devonshire is your classic London pub — warm, welcoming, open to all, serving up homemade bar food from our in-house butcher and bakery, and of course a perfect pint of Guinness.
Location: Soho Map
Address: Denman Street, Soho
Why go: The Dublin Castle is a pub and live music venue in Camden Town, London. It gained prominence as a venue in the late 1970s after the band Madness established a live reputation there. Subsequently, it was an important venue in the early stages of several bands' careers and contributed to the Britpop musical genre. Amy Winehouse was a regular visitor to the pub.
Location: Camden Map
Address: Parkway, Camden
Why go: Everybody who was anybody passed through these doors in the 'Seventies and 'Eighties: The Clash, The Cure, The Jam, The Police, Dire Straits, The Specials, The Stranglers, The Damned, Dr Feelgood, X-Ray Specs, Eurythmics, Elvis Costello and Madness to name just a few! U2 (famously in front of 8 people) and Joy Division (tragic frontman Ian Curtis having his first epileptic fit as he returned home from the gig), both had their debut London shows here!! The venue gained such a high reputation that The Front Row Festival in 1977 (which featured XTC, Shakin’ Stevens and Tom Robinson) was recorded and released as a live double album by Warner, reaching No. 28 in the UK Album Charts. The Stranglers, Elvis Costello and The Saints also recorded live albums here, and Madness shot their music video to "One Step Beyond" in the place. The venue bar even inspired a song – Splodgenessabounds' cult hit 'Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please' - apparently an ode to the futility trying to get served at the Hope! It reached No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart. The legendary independent label Stiff Records was founded here.
Location: Islington Map
Address: Upper Street, Islington
Why go: Owned by film producer Guy Ritchie and used in the film The Gentleman. Seasonal sharing plates, pints and premium spirits in a classic setting housing a pub since 1829.
Location: Marylebone Map
Address: Conway Street
Why go: Welcome to The May Fair Bar, a dining and drinking experience set by the iconic Berkeley Square in Mayfair. Recently transformed with a new look and spirit, The May Fair Bar welcomes you for breakfast, lunch, night bites and all-day cocktails, accompanied by the occasional live music performance befitting the elegant location
Location: Mayfair Map
Address: Berkeley Street, Mayfair
Why go: A Fitzrovia institution since 1730, the Newman Arms is a pub built on proper pints, legendary pies, and a touch of indulgence. From a perfectly pulled pint to a glass of Pol Roger Champagne — or even a classic Black Velvet — you’ll find something to suit every mood.
Address: 23 Rathbone Street, W1T 1NG
Why go: Built in 1520, our historic pub the Prospect of Whitby is the oldest riverside tavern in the country. Sat in Wapping, on the edge of the Thames and surrounded by dockland areas, it's the perfect place to rest, in a family-friendly atmosphere. All sorts of people from sailors to British movie stars, have tread over our original 400-year-old stone floor, and now you're one of them. Take in views of the water from our rooftop seating area or beer garden as you sip away on our selection of beers.
Address: 57 Wapping Wall, Wapping
Why go: Celebrating 475 Years of History at The Ship Tavern Welcome to The Ship Tavern Ale House & Dining Room Join us in commemorating our remarkable 475-year journey as The Ship Tavern, a classic British ale house, and dining room nestled on the edge of the serene Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Since 1549, The Ship has woven itself into the fabric of Holborn’s rich history. For the past 23 years, the Evans family and our dedicated team have proudly steered the course, returning to the essence of what makes a great British pub truly special – serving quality home-cooked British pub fare sourced from local markets, complemented by quaffable real ales, and drinks offering.
Address: 12 Gate Street, Holborn
Why go: Traditional neighbourhood pub open 7 days a week & set in a restored Victorian building.
Location: Mayfair Map
Address: Mount Street, Mayfair
Why go: Tucked above a casual café on Portobello Road, The Fat Badger offers a refined interpretation of the British gastropub. Once accessible by invitation only, it has since opened its doors to the wider public, revealing a dining space that balances understated charm with a quietly confident culinary approach. Set across two floors, the restaurant combines wood-panelled interiors, candlelit tables and considered design details to create a space that feels both relaxed and discreetly elegant.
Location: Notting Hill Map
Why go: The Old Bank is one of the most stunning pub interiors in the city of London. The pub resides in the old Law Court’s branch of the previous Bank of England which operated from 1888 to 1975. The location is also famously directly between Sweeney Todd’s barber shop and Mrs Lovett’s pie shop!
Address: Fleet Street
Why go: The Trafalgar was built on the site of the long-established Old George Tavern, whose landlord Charles Hart continued at the helm of the Trafalgar until his death in 1863. In 1865, the London, Windsor and Greenwich Hotels Company was formed to unite the ownership of the Trafalgar, Ship and Yacht taverns and in 1896 George Damiral, former mariner and local confectioner took it on as the Trafalgar Hotel, running a sweet manufactory in the basement. The Trafalgar closed in 1915 and variously became an institute for aged merchant seamen, a working men’s club and a centre for the unemployed. It was saved from demolition in 1937 by being converted into flats for the navy and did not reopen as a public house until 1965, when its old interior was gutted and lavishly remodelled by craftsmen from Pinewood Studios giving every appearance of 1960s film set.
Address: Park Row, Greenwich
Why go: Rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666, with cellars potentially dating to a 13th-century monastery; a classic Dickensian haunt.
Location: City of London Map
Why go: The original Zuma is renowned as one of the best Japanese restaurants in the capital embracing the rich culinary heritage of Japanese cuisine with contemporary dishes, inspired by the founder’s many years spent eating + drinking after work in traditional Tokyo izakayas, this is where the story began…
Location: Knightsbridge Map
Address: Raphael Street