Some of London's best food can be found in its greatest pubs. We've rounded them all up from those serving amazing scotch eggs to top steak and Michelin-starred pub food.
Central London
The Devonshire
Soho - 17 Denman Street, London W1D 7HW
An instant hit the minute it served its first pint of Guinness (which it's largely responsible for building the current craze around the stout), The Devonshire is like no other pub in London. Landlord Oisin Rogers (ex-Guinea Grill), business partner Charlie Carroll (Flat Iron founder) and chef Ashley Palmer-Watts (ex-Fat Duck and Dinner by Heston) have created the perfect mix of incredibly popular pub and fantastic upstairs grill room. And even if you can't get a seat at the restaurant, the pub food here is outstanding.
The French House
Soho - 49 Dean St, London W1D 5BG
The French House has a history of showcasing excellent chefs in its tiny upstairs dining room, and that's definitely the case today with Neil Borthwick in the kitchen. Here you can expect classic French bistro food served with love and care. Make sure to leave room for the amazing Paris Brest. Even if you can't get into the tiny upstairs dining room, it's well worth having a drink downstairs (only half pints, mind).
The Audley
Mayfair - 41-43 Mount St, London W1K 2RX
While upstairs is the very upmarket Mount St Restaurant, this ground-floor pub is more in the style of a classic Mayfair boozer. Expect a notably good pint of Guinness and a menu created by the same team as the restaurant upstairs with reinvented classic pub grub like a London rarebit, a prawn Marie Rose sandwich or a chicken, ham & leek pie.
The Barley Mow
Mayfair - 82 Duke Street, London W1K 6JG
This Mayfair pub is owned by the Cubitt House group who have gave it a complete makeover, as well as relaunching the restaurant upstairs (which has been designed with a Mayfair clubby vibe). In charge of the food is chef Ben Tish and the menu here "takes its inspiration from Britain with a little bit of France."
The George
Fitzrovia - 55 Great Portland St, London W1W 7LQ
Once a pub of two halves, this Fitzrovia restaurant now serves the same menu throughout. Snacks are impressive, including Parker house bread rolls with garlic butter or red curry pork scratchings and also look out for their beef and Guinness pie with clotted cream mash. There's a notably impressive English sparkling list here too.
The Guinea Grill
Mayfair - 30 Bruton Pl, London W1J 6NL
Mayfair's Guinea Grill has had something of a resurgence in recent years, regaining its crown as one of London's best steak restaurants (a large part of that is down to formed landlord Oisin Rogers, now of The Devonshire). The bar snacks are well worth checking out, particularly the excellent scotch eggs and you'll also find one of London's best pints of Guinness here.
The Wigmore
Marylebone - 15 Langham Pl, London W1B 3DE
The Wigmore is attached to fancy Marylebone hotel The Langham, but acts as its own venue and remains one of the best pubs in the immediate area. The menu is overseen by Michel Roux Jr, with his take on "quintessential British pub fare" and their signature XXL stovetop toastie is the one to go for.
Also see...
The Prince Arthur (Belgravia) - A very new pub at the time of writing, this pub with Basque-inspired food has great promise.
Lore of the Land (Fitzrovia) - Better known as Guy Ritchie's pub, the food and great service are a real draw here.
North London
The Brave
Islington - 340-342 Essex Rd, London N1 3PB
James Cochran’s pub at the top end of Essex Road was an immediate hit out of the gate. While some may quibble that the extensive dining room and open kitchen make it more restaurant than pub, there’s still a distinct area for drinking. Expect culinary fireworks from the food which is informed by Cochran’s Scottish/Caribbean heritage. Bar snacks like the jerk chicken Scotch egg are particularly amazing.
The Red Lion and Sun
Highgate - 25 North Rd, London N6 4BE
Back in the 16th century when the first inn opened on this spot, this would have been a coaching inn en route to London. Now it attracts celebrities and Highgate foodies alike who adore the front and back gardens in summer, and the cosy interiors in winter. Landlord Heath Ball and his team serve up an elevated pub menu that celebrates its ties with producers and the wine list is legendary.
Also see - The same team now runs The Angel Inn around the corner. At the time of writing, it's getting a refurb but it's definitely one to watch.
The Parakeet
Kentish Town - 256 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2EN
The Parakeet is a pub run by the people behind Camden's Blues Kitchen, having taken over what was The Oxford pub. It remains part pub, part restaurant and it's that restaurant run by chef Ben Allen that has got everyone talking. The seasonal main menu changes regularly and there's an emphasis on cooking over fire.
The Compton Arms
Islington - 4 Compton Ave, London N1 2XD
Nick Stephens, owner of The Compton Arms, has a good eye for spotting potential in the residencies he lures to this tucked-away pub in Canonbury. The latest to take over is Rake, which looks at classic British recipes through a modern lens. Also worth noting - the hidden-away courtyard at the back is the place to be in summer.
The Drapers Arms
Islington - 44 Barnsbury St, London N1 1ER
With landlord Nick Gibson in charge of affairs at this Barnsbury pub you can be assured not only of great food, but an award-winning wine list to boot. There’s always a really good pie on the menu, which raises funds for Action Against Hunger and it’s a particularly good place to go if you’re looking for great fish or veggie options.
The William IV
Islington - 7 Shepherdess Walk, London N1 7QE
When a pub sources its food from the same suppliers that work with Michelin-starred restaurants you know you’re on to a winner. The sensitive restoration of this Islington pub, complete with its cosy upstairs dining room, has given locals a great place to enjoy good food. Both the pub and dining room menus are full of things you’ll want to eat. And anywhere putting on a coastal martini shot with an oyster is worthy of checking out.
The Baring
Hoxton - 55 Baring St, London N1 3DS
This pub (previously The Poet) was reborn as The Baring with an impressive team behind it. In the kitchen is Rob Tecwyn (ex-Dabbous and Kerridge's) and the pub is run by Adam Symonds (ex-Orasay and Six Portland Road). They're offering up a seasonal menu, showcasing provenance and aiming for a low environmental impact.
The Bull & Last
Highgate - 168 Highgate Rd, London NW5 1QS
This Highgate pub on the fringes of the heath has long been a beacon for great pub cooking - they have even brought out their own cookbook. The menu here changes daily with seasonality a big focus. And if it's on, their legendary scotch egg is an absolute must.
The Clarence Tavern
Stoke Newington - 102 Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 0LA
From the team who brought us the Anchor & Hope, this Stokie pub serves up top-class gastropub food on Church Street. Menus celebrate what’s good in season and the desserts are particularly strong.
Plaquemine Lock
Islington - 139 Graham St, London N1 8LB
You’ll find this Islington pub just beside the Regent’s Canal, but the food here is inspired by a very different body of water - the Bayou. Cajun and Creole food are the order of the day here with shrimp and grits and Po’boy sandwiches on offer alongside an extensive oyster bar selection.
The Plimsoll
Finsbury Park - 52 St Thomas’s Road, London N4 2QW
When the Four Legs crew took on this Finsbury Park expectations were high but who could have predicted what a white-hot success this would be? It can be hard to get a reservation and it's rammed at weekends but you can always rock up to the bar section for a drink and one of their fabulous Dexter cheeseburgers.
The Tamil Prince
Islington - 115 Hemingford Rd, London N1 1BZ
The Tamil Prince is a pub in Islington's Barnsbury area that focuses on South Asian cuisine. It's named after the chef, Prince Durairaj and the cooking has specific references to the cuisine of his home state of Tamil Nadu. There's nothing else quite like this in Islington, let alone London, and the food is excellent (and very well-reviewed).
Also see - They now have a follow-up pub, The Tamil Crown, in Angel.
Also see...
Godet (Islington) - A wine-focused pub from the same team behind Binch wine bar, with a rotating residency
Pig & Butcher (Islington) - Pub with a focus on meat which it butchers on-site
Smokehouse (Islington) - This Islington pub is, as the name suggests, big on cooking over fire.
South London
The Anchor and Hope
Waterloo - 36 The Cut, London SE1 8LP
Ever since this Southwark pub burst onto London’s gastropub scene, it’s been serving standout food down behind Waterloo Station. Inspiration for the menu roams around Europe, so you’re as likely to find vitello tonnato here as you are potted shrimps on toast. There’s a strong emphasis on desserts here too
The Camberwell Arms
Camberwell - 65 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8TR
A multi-award-winning South London gastropub, the kitchen team here pride themselves on making as much as they can in-house from their charcuterie and bread to ice cream. Menus change regularly and read very well - with many dishes designed to shine when cooked over their charcoal fire. Sunday lunches are particularly good.
Canton Arms
Stockwell - 177 S Lambeth Rd, London SW8 1XP
Even the drinks are seasonal at this Stockwell pub - from fresh lemonade and strawberry spritzes in the summertime to Camparis with blood orange in the winter. The daily menu is a masterpiece of great gastropubbery, including dishes like seven-hour Salt Marsh lamb shoulder.
The Earl of Derby
New Cross - 87 Dennett's Rd, London SE14 5LW
This recently restored pub in New Cross has been brought back to its Victorian finest. The food is run by Gengelly's with a team that were previously behind Good as Gold in Brockley. Their menu focuses on proper pies, chargrilled meats and fish alongside weekly specials.
Perry Hill Pub
Catford - 78-80 Perry Hill, London SE6 4EY
The new team at this much-loved South London local brought this pub back to the top level. Husband and wife team Phil Sutton and Oonagh McCormack had a wealth of pub experience before they took this on as their own project. A bespoke smoker means BBQ is a big thing here, but it’s not just a meat fest, there’s a lot of love for vegans here too.
Also see...
Dartmouth Arms (Forest Hill) - This pub is a MEATliquor pub, so expect great burgers (and a few specials just for this location)
East London
Three Compasses
Clerkenwell - 66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP
Downstairs from one of London's best restaurants, Bouchon Racine, you'll find the Three Compasses. Like upstairs, it's a joint venture between Dave Strauss and Henry Harris which makes it one of the best pubs in the area. There's a notably good wine list and if you can't manage to get a booking in Bouchon Racine, the menu downstairs is pretty damned good too.
The Marksman
Hackney - 254 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SJ
The Marksman saw St John chefs Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram convert this pub to being one of London's key foodie destinations. Upstairs is the main restaurant with a seasonal menu that includes mainstays like their phenomenal brown butter and honey tart (order it early in case it runs out). If you're in the pub downstairs, you'll definitely need one of their beef and barley buns with your pint.
The Eagle
Farringdon - 159 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3AL
The Eagle is considered by many to be the birthplace of London's gastropub scene back in 1991 and the menu remains excellent to this day. Their steak sandwich is phenomenal and the main grill menu, written on a blackboard behind the bar, changes daily (sometimes twice daily). Check their Instagram account for what's on today.
The Coach
Clerkenwell - 26-28 Ray St, London EC1R 3DJ
This was the first pub to get the chef Henry Harris touch and although he’s since moved on to Bouchon Racine, the menu here retains a great mix of French and British influences. There’s usually something properly piggy on offer along with seafood from Devon and steak from Herefordshire.
The Culpeper
Spitalfields - 40 Commercial St, London E1 6LP
From its ground-floor dining roof and first-floor dining room to the rooftop terrace, there’s been a lot of love lavished on this Aldgate pub. This is a place that spends as much time on perfecting its pub bacon sandwich as it does the accompaniments of a burrata starter with nettles and pickled kohlrabi.
The Duke of Richmond
Dalston - 316 Queensbridge Rd, London E8 3NH
Tom Oldroyd's Hackney pub has some top burgers on the menu, including the signature burger with Roquefort, béarnaise & confit onions. A must-have is the Cornish crab chip butty while the wood-fired grill features dishes from butterflied Scottish mackerel to za’atar roasted baby aubergines.
The Princess of Shoreditch
Shoreditch - 76-78 Paul St, London EC2A 4NE
This Shoreditch pub has had a relatively recent revamp and the main event is the upstairs restaurant which has a seasonal menu focused on British provenance. If you're in the bar downstairs, check out the bar snacks menu for their sausage roll with butcher sauce or get some brie and truffle goujeres to go with your pint.
Book The Princess of Shoreditch
The Spread Eagle
Homerton - 224 Homerton High St, London E9 6AS
This is London's first 100% vegan pub, with the food drink and fixtures and fittings all plant-based. Snacks include a whole baked 'shamembert' and there's even a Korean burger made with crispy fried chicken of the woods mushrooms.
Also see...
The Green (Clerkenwell) - Serving up Modern British seasonal food
Scolt Head (Dalston) - There's a strong focus on provenance at this pub.
West London
The Hero
Maida Vale - 55 Shirland Rd, London W9 2JD
From the same stable as The Pelican in Notting Hill and The Bull in the Cotswolds, the latest incarnation of this Maida Vale pub looks like being the one that sticks. It’s a huge operation with a cocktail bar at the top, a gorgeous dining room on the first floor and a proper pub below complete with roaring fires. There’s an always-on pie on the menu and the wine list is particularly worth a trawl through.
The Holland
Holland Park - 25 Earls Ct Rd, London W8 6EB
Seasonality is at the heart of the food offering at this family (and dog) friendly gastropub and dining room in Kensington. The menu changes constantly so regulars never miss out on what’s in season whether that’s a chanterelle risotto with winter truffle in the depths of January or grilled asparagus with tahini cream in the height of summer. The Sunday roasts in particular are spectacular.
The Cow
Notting Hill - 89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH
The Cow is a much-loved Notting Hill pub that once, much to the joy of locals, saw off an attempt by Westminster council to close it down. The plates of oysters are not to be missed or you could just treat yourself to an enormous seafood platter and a great pint of Guinness.
The Pig’s Ear
Chelsea - 35 Old Church St, London SW3 5BS
Having opened plenty of restaurants, the Gladwin Brothers finally decided they'd move on to pubs. The Pig's Ear in Chelsea is their first boozer and, like their restaurants, takes full advantage of all the amazing produce that comes from the brothers’ family farm and vineyard in West Sussex. Downstairs is the perfect spot for fresh oysters and a pint of Guinness by the fire. Upstairs there’s a more formal dining room (that’s also a great place for private parties).
The Watermans Arms
Barnes - 375 Lonsdale Rd, London SW13 9PY
Sitting out on the balcony here, overlooking the river on a sunny summer day you’d be completely forgiven for being a bit smug. There aren’t many nicer places to be, especially when the food is great too. Head chef Sam is ex-Camberwell Arms so he knows exactly what makes for a great gastropub. The kitchen team here go big on whole animal butchery too, so you know nothing will be wasted.
The Cadogan Arms
Chelsea - 298 King's Rd, London SW3 5UG
This Chelsea pub has recently been given a major overhaul and that includes the menu. That's overseen by Kitchen Table's James Knappett and Executive Chef John Sparks. Bar snacks include an excellent black pudding Scotch egg while there's a showstopping sherry trifle on the main restaurant menu.
The Cleveland Arms
Paddington - 28 Chilworth St, London W2 6DT
The Cleveland Arms has been around since 1842, and it remains one of the best pubs for food in the area. The menu changes regularly, but the steak and chips (whichever cut is on) is always worth a try. The newish lunchtime small plates menu is also worth a look, with options like dry-aged beef sliders and a salt cod scotch egg.
The Harwood Arms
Walham Grove, London SW6 1QP
The Harwood Arms remains the only pub in London to have a Michelin star and has been home to some excellent chefs in its time, with The Ledbury's Brett Graham as its director. In the kitchen right now is ex-Ledbury chef Josh Cutress. The venison scotch eggs remain a must-have.
Parlour
Kensal Rise - 5 Regent St, London NW10 5LG
Parlour was opened by chef Jesse Dunford Wood back in 2013 and has been going strong ever since. It's probably best known for the huge Desperate Dan's Cow Pie as well as their massive Chicken Kyivs. They even have an Arctic Roll for dessert.
The Pelican
Notting Hill - 45 All Saints Road, London W11 1HE
This pub has undergone many iterations over its long lifespan but the newest revival has been a big hit with foodies and critics alike. The cosy atmosphere provides a backdrop to the small plates menu with dishes showcasing the local produce; their link to the local neighbourhood increases with regular events such as movie nights and Pilates classes.
The Princess Royal
Notting Hill - 47 Hereford Rd, London W2 5AH
Ben Tish has been overhauling the food in Cubitt House pubs like The Coach Makers Arms in Marylebone and the Princess Royal was the first brand-new pub in the group. With a Med-led menu focusing on seasonal fish and shellfish, this gorgeous-looking gastropub is worthy of a detour (not to mention it has a big garden and terrace).
See also...
The Hound (Chiswick) - A pub with a great menu from the team behind the Cadogan Arms and The George (see above)
Paradise by Way of Kensal Green - Modern European menu in Kensal Green
The Prince (West Brompton) - A pub with a huge outside space and with four restaurants in charge of the food.
And if you fancy being outside...
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