Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
25
DRINKING IN LONDON: NEIGHBOURHOOD BY NEIGHBOURHOOD
Clerkenwell
A good mix of traditional pubs and cool bars in a small area. The newest places
are concentrated on Exmouth Market and around Smithfield Market. It's also a foodie hotspot
-
The Eagle
on Farringdon Road was a pioneer of the gastropub scene (see p.390).
Notting Hill
The pick of West London's neighbourhoods, with a mix of comfy old favourites and
newbies. The area around Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove is a good hunting ground.
The riverside
A drink by the river is a great London experience, but the centre is notoriously
thin on riverside pubs. Travel out a little - to Hammersmith to the west and Wapping and
Bermondsey to the east - to find the best places (see box, p.394).
Shoreditch/Hoxton
Although East London isn't quite as cool as it was in the 1990s, nowhere
else has quite such an eclectic mix of historic pubs, rough-and-ready dives and hip new arrivals.
Soho
Renowned for its bohemian old boozers, Soho also has more than its fair share of cool,
contemporary spots. It's always crowded, boasting an unrivalled range of watering holes
within a small area. Drink here, and you'll feel at the very heart of the action.
Southwark
The area around Borough Market has many enjoyable places to drink, from
historic gems to the newer bars around the market itself. There's a great concentration of
top-notch places in a small area here, but it can be extremely busy.
associations galore, and half-pints, bottled beers, wine and
champagne only at the bar (no real ale). No mobile phones.
Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-10.30pm.
Phoenix Artist
Club
1 Phoenix St, WC2
T
020 7836
1077,
W
phoenixartistclub.com;
!
Leicester Square;
map p.100.
This members' bar, tucked away beneath a
theatre, has been hosting high-spirited ne'er-do-wells
since way before London's Prohibition/members' club scene
became trendy. And trendy this place is not - it's a high-
spirited dive, with theatrical types of all stripes making
merry. Nonmembers need to arrive before 8pm.
Mon-Sat
5pm-2.30am, Sun 5pm-1am (roughly).
FITZROVIA
Bourne and Hollingsworth
28 Rathbone Place, W1
T
020 7636 8228,
W
bourneandhollingsworth.com;
!
Goodge Street; map p.97.
One of the first, and still
one of the best, of London's Prohibiton-style vintage
cocktail bars, offering creative gin cocktails and punches
served in jars, tin mugs and tea cups, in a delicately shabby
subterranean granny's parlour.
Mon-Wed 5pm-1am,
Thurs-Sat 5pm-1.30am.
Bradley's Spanish Bar
42-44 Hanway St, W1
T
020
7636 0359,
W
bradleysspanishbar.co.uk;
!
Tottenham
Court Road; map p.97.
Appealingly unpretentious
backstreet bar with a mixed, merry clientele, a variety of
Spanish beers and an excellent vinyl jukebox. When the
doors close the diehards tumble out into
Mia Sevilla
,
another tiny, shabby and good fun Spanish bar a couple of
doors down (opens late; closed Sun).
Mon-Thurs noon-
11.30pm, Fri & Sat noon-midnight, Sun 3-10.30pm.
The Green Man
36 Riding House St, W1
T
020 7580
9087,
W
thegreenmanw1.co.uk;
!
Oxford Circus; map
p.97.
Slightly more offbeat than most pubs this close to
Oxford and Regent streets, the
Green Man
is a real find,
with an excellent range of craft beers, ciders and cask ales.
Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-10.30pm.
Ì
Newman Arms
23 Rathbone St, W1
T
020 7636
1127,
W
newmanarms.co.uk;
!
Tottenham Court
Road or Goodge Street; map p.97.
Intimate, friendly,
family-run free house, popular with a mixed and loyal
crowd. Try one of their fabulous pies, from lamb-and-
rosemary to roast vegetable.
Mon-Fri noon-11.30pm.
The Yorkshire Grey
46 Langham St, W1
T
020 7636
4788;
!
Oxford Circus; map p.97.
This cosy and appealing
place has good-value Sam Smith's beer and a snug corner
beside the fire (something you'll need to compete for).
Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun 6pm-10.30pm.
BLOOMSBURY
Bar Pepito
3 Varnishers Yard, The Regent Quarter, N1
T
020 7841 7331,
W
barpepito.co.uk;
!
King's Cross;
map p.120.
A welcoming sherry bodega, an offshoot of the
Spanish restaurant
Camino
opposite, offering simple cold
tapas to go with your manzanilla or your fino.
Mon-Fri
5pm-midnight, Sat 6pm-midnight.
Ì
The Duke
7 Roger St, WC1
T
020 7242 7230,
W
dukepub.co.uk;
!
Russell Square; map p.120.
Lovely
little neighbourhood pub with an unusual, unforced Art
Deco flavour and lots of interwar design details. Its discreet
location keeps the crowd in the small bar manageable;
simple, good food, too.
Mon-Sat noon-11pm.
Euston Tap
190 Euston Rd, NW1
T
020 3137,
W
eustontap.com;
!
Euston; map p.120.
Crammed into
a tiny Victorian gatehouse outside the railway station, this
is a sociable and high-spirited micropub for serious ale
lovers. Regularly changing cask, keg and bottle beers and
ciders and perries on tap.
Daily noon-11.30pm.
