Pub recommendations London County Hall

The menu is Thai so maybe not traditional (although quite common in pubs) but The Kings Arms on Roupell Street is a lovely traditional design pub on a very photogenic and quiet street about 10 minutes from County Hall.

We like Doggett’s Coat and Badge, right on the river near Blackfriars’ Bridge (south side). We discovered it because of the connection with rowing ( my husband rows a single scull) and like it a lot. They have a very traditional pub menu, with meat pies, fish n chips, bangers and mash, and much more. It is part of the Nicholsons’ pub group and the beer is reputed to be good. We drink wine so cannot confirm that.

https://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/london/doggettscoatandbadgesouthbanklondon#/

To walk there from your County Hall location, walk through the Jubilee Gardens adjacent to County Hall to reach the pedestrian path along the Thames, known as the Queen’s Walk in this section. Turn right and follow the path downriver (north and east) til you see the pub. Google maps says it is a16-minute walk, and it is very scenic and free of traffic every bit of the way, with nice views across the river to iconic buildings lining the north bank. You might want to explore this path at other times during your visit, as we find it is a great way to move around London.

If you would rather not walk back after dinner, you can follow the Thames Path a bit further (downriver) to the Bankside Pier (right near the Globe Theatre) and ride a Thames Clipper/ Uber boat upriver to either the London Eye or the Westminster Pier.

https://www.thamesclippers.com/plan-your-journey/route-map

Note that the RB2 weekend service does not stop at the London Eye Pier so you would use Westminster if riding on a weekend.

I have been to both prior poster’s recommended pubs. The Kings Arms is a cool neighborhood pub, good beer, but, again, Thai food. Doggett’s is a nice pub, but I find it to be very crowded with tourists. A nice stop for a beer and people watch but I am not sure I would want to eat there unless you get there at a time where the many peeps didn’t arrive yet. I would recommend The Ship and Shovel, about a 1/2 mile walk across the river. The pub food is rather average, but a great pub and vibe. Near The Ship and Shovel is Sherlock Holmes, another nice pub with pub fare a bit higher quality than the nearby Ship and Shovel.

Try the https://www.dukeofsussex.co.uk/

and https://www.windmillwaterloo.co.uk/

both the other side of Waterloo station from County Hall

Interesting. The times we have been to Doggett’s the place was nearly empty, indoors.. We thought there must be something wrong with it, but there wasn’t. Maybe we were just early? ILast time was around 6:30 pm. We enjoyed a glass of wine at the outside tables (cold and windy, and no view of the river because of the wall there) and then came inside to dine.

But that was “before covid” and maybe it has gained the attention of tourists since then.

The White Hart.

https://www.thewhitehartwaterloo.co.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb-homepage#/

Ate a meal there prior to enjoying Witness for The Prosecution at County Hall.

Great evening in London pre covid.

Interesting. The times we have been to Doggett’s the place was nearly empty, indoors.. We thought there must be something wrong with it, but there wasn’t. Maybe we were just early?

Lola, was the weather rather crummy when you went? We tend to stay on the south bank by Tower Bridge and walk by Doggett’s often and if the sun is out late afternoon or early evening, the place is crazy packed. Again, to be clear, I think Dogget’s is a fine place for a beer as it is a lively and fun place. I would just pass on a meal if it was crowded.

Not really "ye olde pub" vibes, but I was in BFI Riverfront about six months ago and I enjoyed a drink there. They've really stepped up their game in the last few years. It's a great location, handy for where you mention. I didn't eat there but their menu looks good to me.

The British Film Institute is the UK's national archive of film and national movie theatre, part of the national museums group that includes many of the other well known museums and galleries, partly funded by the public purse.

https://www.benugo.com/sites/restaurants/bfi-riverfront/