Forget finger sandwiches or scones piled high with jam and cream – there’s nothing more quintessentially British than going to the pub. Whether it’s for a quick pint, a night out with friends, afternoons stretched out in the sun with jugs of Pimm’s in a beer garden or evenings cosied up by the fire with a Sunday roast, the pub is an institution here. Where else has the range to allow you to pop in for lunch, get competitive at a pub quiz or shove the tables to one side as you dance to pop classics until 2am?
So, with the weather officially reaching freezing here in London, Team Service95 figured it was time for us to share the local boozers worth knowing about. (Though if it’s more of a bar vibe you’re after, we’ve covered those for you too, here.) Not the flashy, fancy spots you’ll find on every other ‘best pubs in London’ guide – no, these are the spots we actually visit, time and again. You know, the kind of warm, welcoming spaces that serve up great drinks, excellent grub and instantly make you feel at home. All you have to do is decide what to order when you get there...
William IV, Shoreditch
The Setting: Tucked between Shoreditch and Islington, this unassuming-from-the-outside 200-year-old spot has been taken over by a duo well-versed in running London pubs – and once you step through its doors, you’ll understand why that’s important. Downstairs is your classic pub, serving up cracking pints and hearty food. Upstairs, you’ll find the dining room – bright, airy, with a crackling fire when the temperature drops – where you can enjoy the same menu, in a little more refined setting. The perfect spot for a Sunday roast (their specialty, served with the most generous jug of gravy we’ve ever had at a pub – a very important bonus).
The Vibe: Warm, inviting, yet cute enough for those Instagram shots.
Go With: A good friend, and hunker down for a long catch-up over pints, cocktails or a three-course meal (honestly, the food is that good).
Special Mention: Anything from the cocktail menu (obviously, we started with a martini), plus the crispy pig cheeks starter/bar snack – tender, salty and with that sensational crunch, they’re like pork scratchings’ chicer cousin.
The Camberwell Arms, Camberwell
The Setting: Those in the know understand that pubs in Southeast hit different. Down on Camberwell High Street, this local institution is always packed for a reason, delivering everything you could want on a dark evening, crisp winter day or, well, any day: cosy atmosphere, great drinks and such. Good. Food. (The menu is overseen by Mike Davies, who’s also responsible for the brilliant food at Frank’s Café in nearby Peckham.) Whether you’re perched at the bar or sat at one of the crisp-white-tableclothed spots in the dining room, you’re in for a good time.
The Vibe: A proper good gastropub.
Go With: Someone who’s down to share – its best food is designed for two!
Special Mention: The pies: ever-changing flavours, served family-style for two, with the butteriest (yes, we’ve invented that term specially) pastry you’ll find. Oh, and its wine selection is just fab.
The Pig’s Ear, Chelsea
The Setting: In that deliciously quiet pocket of Chelsea between the King’s Road and the Embankment, you’ll find The Pig’s Ear: the local-favourite pub that we’ll happily travel miles to for its next-level drinks, food and the precious black lab that wanders in from her home down the road (her owner is, of course, a regular), just to say hello. Owned by the Gladwin brothers, expect locally sourced food (including from their farm in West Sussex), and wines by their English vineyard, Nutbourne.
The Vibe: Eclectic decadence (there are multiple chandeliers lining the ceilings), yet totally relaxed (no fancy dress codes here).
Go With: Your most sociable pal, because you will end up chatting to the staff, fellow pubgoers and, of course, the dog.
Special Mention: That Sunday roast! Some of the best roast potatoes we’ve ever eaten – and if you can’t make it down on the weekend, any leftover meat goes into the (excellent) pies they serve on Mondays.
The Shaston Arms, Soho
The Setting: We couldn’t do a round-up without including the hottest new opening in Soho – and yes, it’s a pub. You might find it hard to spot this compact spot, just off Carnaby Street, because since it opened this autumn, the pavement outside has been taken over by crowds of customers clutching perfectly poured pints (and hopefully waiting for a coveted indoor table to try that food – it’s from the team behind The Waterman’s Arms in Barnes, so obviously, everything is delicious). Whether you’ve managed to snag a booking or are joining the rest of the punters spilling onto the streets, it’s a must-visit.
The Vibe: A proper pub (it serves scampi fries!) with a food menu fit for the finest of diners.
Go With: Someone who won’t balk when you order said scampi fries to tide you over until your table is ready.
Special Mention: Two things – the scallops, nestled in a pillowy bed of silky mash, and the merguez sausage sandwich, which comes stuffed with frites for added crunch. The perfect way to soak up the extra let’s-just-have-one-more drinks, because you won’t want to leave.
The Montpelier, Peckham
The Setting: Just minutes away from Peckham Rye Station is always a good time: The Montpelier. Great for a pint at any time of the day, with a series of great foodie residencies to stave off any hunger and DJs every Friday and Saturday for a late-night dance party. On Sundays, you can head back there to recover from the night before with a hearty roast while you listen to some live jazz. Heaven. (Oh, and weekdays, from 12pm-5pm, you can officially work from... the pub, with plenty of plug points and unlimited tea and coffee for £5. If that isn’t an excuse to clock off at 5pm on the dot and grab yourself a craft ale, we don’t know what is.)
The Vibe: A proper local: the kind of place you go for ‘just one’ and end up staying until 2am, with the new friends you made on the dancefloor.
Go With: Your friends! Where else do you meet up with the group, but a great pub?
Special Mention: Two-for-one Negroni Thursdays. Dangerous, for a school night, but they’re heaven.
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The Hero, Maida Vale
The Setting: We actually got this recommendation from our founder (thanks, Dua!), so you know this Northwest London pub is a guaranteed good time. Just down the road from the very Warwick Avenue station Duffy sang about all those years ago lies the The Hero, from the team behind Notting-Hill-favourite The Pelican and The Bull in Charlbury. Is it the most beautiful pub you’ll ever see? Probably, and the food matches up, with two options: classic pub grub downstairs (with, of course, a refined twist), and fine dining upstairs in The Grill restaurant and chic cocktails served up in The Library bar. This pub’s got range.
The Vibe: All the class of its Maida Vale setting, with all the heart of a traditional country pub.
Go With: Someone who’s willing to start with a pint downstairs and work their way up to a couple of French 75s in The Library bar.
The Must-Order: One of the pies on the ground floor – hearty, cosy joy guaranteed with every mouthful.
The Phene, Chelsea
The Setting: There are pub gardens, and then there are West London pub gardens. As you’ll see when you head into The Phene, a beautifully refined gastropub (it is Chelsea, after all) that still feels as welcoming as your average local – except this one’s just off the King’s Road. The garden is lined by a tall hedge, blocking out the rest of the world, so you’ll feel like you’re in a little city oasis as you take a seat at one of the tables and sit back with a spritz (there’s a whole menu to choose from). Feeling hungry? The menu’s great, too – all the pub classics you could ask for, ready to soak up a few pints.
The Vibe: Imagine your fancy favourite aunt owned a pub – that’s The Phene.
Go With: A group of friends – it’s the best spot to while away a Sunday afternoon with the whole gang.
Special Mention: There’s a great cocktail menu: sit back with a Maple Old Fashioned and relax.
The Alma, Crystal Palace
The Setting: Along the famed Crystal Palace triangle (a trio of connecting streets packed with restaurants, cafes, shops and pubs) lies this gem of a local. The Alma has all the cosiness and laidback vibes of your usual pub, with a little extra flair: the standout deep-green facade; flickering pillar candles studding the tables and a drinks list packed with craft ales and some excellent wines by the glass. Come evenings (and especially Sundays), it’s crowded full of people there for those pies and cosy food to fuel the cooler weather. But if you’re just popping in for a drink, don’t worry – out the back is one of the best beer gardens in town, fully covered in a circus-like tent (in a good way), with dedicated staff (so no standing at the bar), plenty of heaters and long tables to gather around.
The Vibe: If Parisian bistros did pubs.
Go With: A local, who can take you on a pre- or post-pub stroll to discover more spots along the triangle.
Special Mention: Is a pub even a pub without some decent chips? The Alma’s fries are dusted in a moreish salty herb coating – you’ll want to order a couple of portions, because those friends who say they’ll have ‘just one’ will keep coming back for more.
The Horseshoe Inn, London Bridge
The Setting: A pub, with tons of outdoor space and reasonably priced pints, around the corner from London Bridge station? Impossible, some may say. But those people clearly don’t know The Horseshoe. We’re quite reluctant to share this rec, but anything for you, our Service95 community. Is it flashy? No. Is it nice enough that you’d meet your parents there for lunch? Yes. Does it do reliably good pub grub? Also, yes. Are there pub cats you can pet as you sip on a pint? Thrice yes. What more could you ask for?
The Vibe: A proper pub – perfect for post-work pints on a weekday and full of locals come the weekend.
Go With: Everyone – your mates, a date, your family or even solo. You’ll get chatting to someone, no doubt.
Special Mention: All that outdoor space – tables by the front door, a huge beer garden in the back, and rooftop tables with views of the Shard. Oh, and the battered chicken nuggets are unreal.
The Bull & Last, Highgate
The Setting: Is it even a trip to Hampstead Heath if you don’t soothe your tired toes by the fire at a local pub afterwards? Once you’ve plodded around the winding pathways and clambered your way up to Kenwood House, make your way down to the park’s Southeast entrance, where you’ll find the perfect pitstop: The Bull & Last. It’s got everything: perfect pours, delicious food (it was voted one of the UK’s top 50 gastropubs) and even bedrooms, if you’re in need of a nap after all that walking.
The Vibe: Like a pub from a classic romcom, in the best way: beautiful design meets a homey atmosphere.
Go With: A date – is there anything more romantic than curling up with a bottle of red after hours of strolling hand in hand through the rolling plains of the Heath?
Special Mention: Save room for dessert – or skip dinner and head straight for the final course. The sticky toffee pudding is as good as you’d expect, washed down with a plum old fashioned for a very sophisticated sweet treat.
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The Chalk Freehouse, Chelsea
The Setting: When a Michelin-star chef opens a pub, you can bet we’re paying a visit. Enter The Chalk Freehouse by Tom Kerridge – tucked just off the King’s Road, this is a far more accessible (both distance- and cost-wise) than his famed two-Michelin-star offering in Marlow, The Hand & Flowers. Firstly, it’s gorgeous. Secondly – and perhaps obviously – it’s a lovely place to go for dinner (think elevated pub classics cooked to perfection), made for cosy autumn days bundled up in one of the corner booths, sharing course after course with a bottle of red.
The Vibe: If Michelin-star chefs did pubs, of course.
Go With: Someone who’s going to order everything on the menu and share it with you.
The Must-Order: The buttery mash! It might be £9, but it must contain at least £9 worth of butter, and it’s worth every rich, creamy, carby bite. And the pillowy Chelsea bun steeped in boozy fruit and lay on a thick bed of custard is the only way to round off your meal.
The Parakeet, Kentish Town
The Setting: If you’ve made your way down Kentish Town Road in the last few years, you can’t have missed The Parakeet: the vivid green pub with (as you may have expected), a parakeet painted on the side. It was taken over by two locals in 2023 (the same pair behind Camden-favourite The Jazz Cafe), who upgraded the space into part-laidback pub, part-refined dining room. Wherever you sit, you can guarantee excellent snacks, a proper pint and excellent vibes.
The Vibe: A local boozer (with a little added pizzaz).
Go With: Your pals for the quiz night, every Tuesday.
Special Mention: The fish finger sandwich, served in the pub as a bar snack. Heaven.
The Albion, Islington
The Setting: Just behind the Upper Street, at the top end near Highbury & Islington station, you’ll find The Albion: a pub so picturesque and welcoming (you can’t miss its lilac wisteria-coated facade in the warmer months), you feel transported from Zone 2 to an idyllic countryside setting. Think real wood fires, wonderfully mismatched chairs and tables dotted outdoors for when the sun is shining. Great for a drink, equally great for food, and the kind of place you’ll pop in for one but stay for hours.
The Vibe: The kind of place you could go for a nice dinner, a ‘quick one’ or even host your wedding breakfast (the beer garden is always packed out with just-married couples from the nearby Islington Town Hall come summer).
Go With: Your family – perfect for a Sunday catch-up by the fire.
Special Mention: The beer garden! A beautiful, huge space out the back that’s covered with a tent in winter, while in summer you’ll find the team BBQing and roasting meats under trellises dotted with climbing roses. Beautiful.
