Guide to ye best traditional pubs of old London town
Although many of the Old Traditional London pubs have either been left to disintegrate into 'Old Man Drinking Dens' or transformed into touristy money grabbing shells of their former glory, if you hunt hard you can still discover some of the historical treasures London has to offer. With a history of drinking venues dating back to the Roman tabernae, the English pub has metamorphosized over the years to its present format.
1
Anchor Bankside
(Bar)
34 Park Street, South Bank, Southwark, London, SE1 9EF
Southwark - Once upon a time, this stretch of the Thames positively thronged with ale houses. The Anchor, rebuilt in 1667 after the Great Fire, is a lone survivor, and for that it deserves reverence, but...
2
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The Blue Anchor
(Bar / Restaurant)
Rolls Passage, off Chancery Lane, City of London, London, EC4A 1HL
Cuisine: Pub
The City - The Blue Anchor is a typical English pub in the City of London that focuses on homemade food such as roasts, pies and sausage and mash. Apparently Winston Churchill used to enjoy relaxing in this pub with a pint, a pie and his customary cigar during the air raids.
3
The Charles Lamb Pub & Kitchen
(Bar / Restaurant)
16 Elia Street, Islington, London, N1 8DE
Cuisine: Gastro
Islington - Established in 1839, the pub has been renamed in honour of Charles Lamb, the late 18th/early 19th century English essayist. Best known for his collected essays entitled 'Essays of Elia', published in 1823, he also provided the name for the road on which the pub stands.As a Free House the Charles Lamb carry a good selection of Real Ales, Lagers and top shelf spirits.
4
Cittie of York
(Bar)
22 High Holborn, Holborn, London, WC1V 6BS
Holborn - This site has had a pub on it since the early 15th century and with its 19th facade the Cittie does well to keep the interior traditional.
5
The Dove
(Bar)
19 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London, W6 9TA
Cuisine: Pub
Hammersmith - The biggest claim to fame for the Dove is that the Poet James Thompson apparently penned Rule Britannia whilst enjoying a few ales in this traditional riverside pub. Unfortunately this was the last pint he had as he caught a boat from The Dove, caught a chill and died! Another pull is that this pub holds a Guinness Book of Records record for the smallest bar in the UK.
6
The Effra
(Bar)
38 Kellet Road, Brixton, London, SW2 1EB
Cuisine: Caribbean
Brixton - One of just a few traditional, relatively untouched London boozers in the Brixton area. Locals enjoy the laid back vibe, playing dominoes and listening to the live jazz in this Victorian pub.
7
The George
(Bar)
1 D'Arblay Street, Soho, London, W1F 8DN
Soho - You can avoid the whole Soho cool scene by popping into this pub advertising itself as a 'traditional Victorian' pub.
8
The George Inn Yard
(Bar)
77 Borough High Street, London Bridge, London, SE1 1NH
London Bridge - Owned by none other than the National Trust, The George is a truly fine example of Ye Old English pub, seek this baby out and take a step back in time.
9
Guinea
(Bar / Restaurant)
30 Bruton Place, Mayfair, London, W1J 6NL
Cuisine: British
Mayfair - The Guinea pub hasn't changed for centuries and is very much a traditional English pub in the heart of Mayfair. They have Wells Young's cask conditioned Bitter, Special and seasonal ales, supported by a range of continental lagers either on draught or by the bottle and wines from around the world. Their steak and kidney pies and grilled sandwiches are available in the Bar weekday lunch times.
10
Jerusalem Tavern
(Bar)
55 Britton Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1M 5UQ
Cuisine: Gastro
Clerkenwell - Though the building dates back to the 1720's, the pub has only been around since the mid-nineteen nineties. Commendable, then, that the designers resisted the 'Olde English' cliches and managed to create a place of imbibing that just sort of feels somehow 'right' for this great old area of London.
Honourable mentions
The Lamb
(Bar)
92-94 Lambs Conduit Street, Holborn, London, WC1N 3LZ |
Cuisine: Eclectic
Holborn - The Lamb is an unspoilt and atmospheric pub where Victorian London lives on. Famous for its cut glass swivelling snob-screens and sepia photographs of 1890s music hall actresses, Lamb has a working polyphon, a Victorian forerunner of the record player and a no-smoking area. Upstairs bar also available for private functions.
Prospect of Whitby
(Bar)
57 Wapping Wall, Wapping, London, E1W 3SH |
Wapping - This pub dates back to the 1500's, this simple tavern became a mecca for villains to meet and became known as Devil's Tavern. Frequented by the likes of Charles Dickons and Samuel Pepys this historic pub is now known as the Prospect of Whitby.
The Ten Bells
(Bar)
84 Commercial Street, Shoreditch, City of London, London, E1 6LY |
City - The Ten Bells is notorious for being the boozer that Jack the Ripper used to frequent. Although this cannot be confirmed there's no denying that all five victims lived nearby and that the pub dates back to at least the 1750's. Still a traditional pub in the East of London.
The Union Jack
(Bar)
225 Union Jack, Southwark, London, SE1 0LR |
Cuisine: Pub
Southwark - The Union Jack is a traditional English pub that has all the old pub games: pool, quizz machines, fruit machines and a big screen for those sporting events