Best Pubs in London

There was a recent thread you should look up - someone asked for everyone's favorite pub in London. That would be super useful for you, I think. It had my mouth watering for a beer, that's for sure!

Everyone will have a slightly different definition of "best" pubs. For some, it will be Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street (here's the fancyapint link: http://www.fancyapint.com/Pub/london/ye-olde-cheshire-cheese/576)

Others will sneer at the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and say it is too "Ye Olde" and touristy/quaint for them, and they will direct you to a more grotty, "authentic" back street local that pulls impeccable pints and really serves only locals.

Still others will recommend someplace that more resembles an American bar, serves light lagers, and is clean and close to their hotel.

Another contingent will rave about CAMRA-approved joints (here's CAMRA: http://www.camra.org.uk/) and advise you to steer well clear of the chain joints. For what it's worth, I love researching pubs via the CAMRA site.

Looks like you'll be near the Princess Louise and the Ship Tavern. I would try both.

P.S. - Thinking about it, the string about favorite pubs I mentioned might have been for the whole UK. Anyway, still worth checking out.

In case you need to google any of the corporate pub owners listed in the initial response, the actual names are: Wetherspoon, Fuller's, and Nicholson's.

Don't know about the best, but The Lamb on Lambs Conduit Street is in your neighborhood. It is a Victorian pub and still has the "snob screens" at the bar.

How many years have Keith and I been saying the same thing: 'that one right over there'.

Here are three great pubs in London....The Sherlock Holmes ~~ 10-11 Northumberland Street.....The Churchill Arms ~~119 Kensington Church Street......and The Swan ~~66 Bayswater

I edited my thread on UK pubs and it bumped it up. Sadly, the update to the Helpline has deleted all the links. But the names are still there, so enjoy. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/to-the-north/what-39-s-your-favorite-uk-pub

Pam

In a week of meetings for business, I still managed to visit 20 to 30 pubs, all of which were fine to great. I did find that many pubs in central london were packed with the after work crowd in the afternoon/early evening, and while fun, took away from the "pub" feel, basically fighting to get a pint or a table. If I had to choose a pub that stood out, it would have to be The Harp in Coventry Garden. A smallish pub, very old, an upstairs for food if you like. Best is that they have a very nice selection of cask ales, usually about 10 on tap, mostly business and local crowd.

Here, here to Ed and Keith. The best pub in London is the one you find yourself standing in front of after a long day and that isn't located on the other side of the city from your lodgings.

We just returned from a week in London and agree with many posters that the pub that is closest to you when you need it is the one for you. That said, we were staying in a flat in Chelsea. First day there is always hard after the long flight from the States. We met our greeter at the flat, got the keys, used the loo and headed out, just after noon. Not 100 ft. from our door was The Queens Head. Great! It had just opened, had three rooms, we were in the smallest. Nice bartender, good food, great pub atmosphere. It became our "local" a place to stop at the end of the day for a nightcap. Locate at Tryon Street and Elystan Place.

I have since read that it is a Gay pub, but we did not see this. There were all kinds of people there, and all the service people were nice and friendly. They do have karaoke night on Saturdays, and perhaps gay people come for that, don't know. The pub is 170 years old, privately owned.

Other pubs near "historic sites" are:

The Tea Clipper, Knightsbridge, close to Harrods, friendly bartender suggested some ales, gave me sample tastes.

The White Swan, near the Tate Britain - great fish and chips, good selection of ales on tap.

Chelsea Potter, Kings Road, Chelsea - "Bangers and Mash" - super, great local pub.

The Trafalgar, Kings Road, Chelsea (not in Trafalgar Square, named after a clipper). Great fish, nice atmosphere, seating was very cozy.

Other pubs near "historic sites" are:

The Tea Clipper, Knightsbridge, close to Harrods, friendly bartender suggested some ales, gave me sample tastes.

The White Swan, near the Tate Britain - great fish and chips, good selection of ales on tap.

Chelsea Potter, Kings Road, Chelsea - "Bangers and Mash" - super, great local pub.

The Trafalgar, Kings Road, Chelsea (not in Trafalgar Square, named after a clipper). Great fish, nice atmosphere, seating was very cozy.

Our favorites in no particular order--all good: The Grenadier (Mayfair); Nag's Head (around the corner from Grenadier); Lamb & Flag (Covent Garden); Olde Cheshire Cheese (Fleet Street); The George Inn (near Borough Market).