The Ten Best Beer Pubs in London
Apr. 23rd, 2010 03:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lproven… A very personal list. It's worth noting that I judge my favourite watering-holes pretty much solely on their beer. I don't drink anything else, from preference, and I only drink (what I consider to be) good stuff. I don't care what the place looks like, the décor, the clientele, the friendliness or otherwise of the staff, the pricing, anything much, if the beer's good enough. I don't like music in pubs and I really hate TV screens, audible gaming machines, broadcast sport and a variety of other things that some find desirable. I do like to sit down, though, preferably on something vaguely comfortable, and I prefer to go in company and have a conversation while I am there - so anywhere too loud to do so loses out. Basically, as a friend put it to me a few months back, I like “old men's pubs”.
A perfectly decent pub that doesn't have an exceptional range of beer, or which can't keep it well, will therefore fail to appear in this list. Special deals on strong alcohol (i.e. loads of drunks), club nights, live music and so on will usually put me off, too.
It's all about the beer.
No web links, full addresses or anything. Find 'em yourselves. The cognoscenti will probably know them all, anyway.
1. The Sultan, Norman Road/De Burgh Road, Colliers Wood
I feel I have to put this first, as it's my “local”. Hopback's only tied house in London, but it's a gem. Not the greatest range of beers in the world, but a lovely back-street “old man's pub”, and one of its standard offerings remains, after some years now, still my favourite beer. There are others that have impressed me more, but Summer Lightning is the only one I could drink all night.
When I moved to the Colliers Wood area, nearly a decade ago, two friends emailed me in reply to my change-of-address email. Their emails were almost identical. They said:
“Colliers Wood? You [jammy git|lucky bastard]! You will be just a [stone's throw|short walk] away from one of London's best real ale pubs! Did you plan this, or was it an accident?”
Well, it was an accident, and when I confessed, neither would tell me where it was. But I found it, and it's a gem.
2. The Dovetail, Jerusalem Passage, Clerkenwell
My personal favourite Belgian beer bar in London. Cosy, charming, friendly, interesting beers, not too horribly expensive, and rather pleasant food, too.
3. The Wenlock Arms, near Old Street & City Road
A couple of friends have turned up here to meet me and high-tailed it away, saying that it was intimidating or full of unfriendly locals or smelled of wee. Well, I love the place and find the locals quite friendly. The pub quiz is a good hard one, albeit without much of a prize, the live jazz of a weekend is great – if a bit too much for such a small pub – and the beer range is splendid.
4. The Lowlander Café, Drury Lane, Covent Garden
A great date pub! Big, bright, cheerful, friendly, unintimidating, fancy nosh, great beer. Expensive, but worth it. Tends to be a bit loud, but highly enjoyable. Recommended by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
suaveswede. Oh the shame, that a foreigner should know the beer venues of my own city better than I!
5. Zeistgeist, Black Prince Road, Vauxhall
Great little back-street German bier bar. Not as well-known as it deserves to be, and as it serves only German beers, it therefore doesn't sell anything CAMRA would call “real ale”, which rather highlights a weakness of that august organization. Lamentable habit of showing big-screen football, though.
6. The White Horse, Parson's Green
A recommendation fromreverendjim and a damned fine one it was, too. Sloaney bar in a sloaney bit of west London, but a great beer range and implausibly regular (and terrific) beer festivals. It doesn't hurt that it's usually rammed full of posh totty, either. (If that is your thing, which it very much is mine. Whichever gender you prefer, it's there in abundance.) Also serves lightly-burned dead animal outside, if that's your thing. I stay indoors as a result.
7. The Dove, Broadway Market, Bethnal Green
Parent pub of the Dovetail. Bigger, roomier, better menu, and they serve British ales as well as the Belgian stuff. Sadly, though, it's miles away from anywhere I generally frequent.
8. Priory Arms, Priory Grove, Stockwell
I used to be a regular; now, less so, alas. Great little back-street ale house with an interesting beer selection both on draught and in the fridge. Another good pub occasionally spoiled by TV ball games, sadly. Best avoided at certain times; the snag is, I don't know when those times are, so some visits are ruined.
9. The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell near Farringdon
Low on the list as it's an odd little place, but it's a good one. A short hop, skip & jump from the Dovetail, this is a curious little olde-worldey tavern painted in vile institutional green... but it has a remarkable range of gravity-poured St Peter's Ales, when all one normally sees is the (excellent) organic Golden Ale in its distinctive green-glass flask-shaped bottles.
10. The Claret, Addiscombe, Croydon
Coming bottom as although I go there more than anywhere else on this list, I don't feel it's really “mine”: 29 times out of 30, I go there to attend a meetup of a bunch of mates. Fantastic little beer pub, though, one of Croydon's gems. Pisses all over the Green Dragon from a great height, much more congenial and with better ale than the Ship despite the latter's music, and friendlier than the fairly-nearby Cricketers.
And another ten honourable mentions...
1. The Bree Louise, Euston
A new discovery for me, but shows immense promise: interesting combination of a slightly run-down seeming old-fashioned London boozer with a stunning range of beers and ciders.
2. The Rake, Borough Market
Great little pub, but the operative word here is “little”. It's minute. As a result, not recommended unless you like standing amidst a jostling throng while you drink.
3. The Market Porter, Borough Market
Fine ale pub, but it's very bare and spartan, and yet usually absolutely thronged with suits from the City, which rather takes the shine off. Interesting range of Meantime stuff on draught.
4. The Wheatsheaf, Borough Market
Bit of a geographical theme emerging here. This place is the current venue for the ZZ9 meetings, and it's promising. Spacious, great beer, handy location for SE London types. Too many TVs showing too much sport, though. And in response to those who might appeal this frequent criticism, yes, it is a problem, either way. Those of us who passionately hate ball-games can't escape them, nor the jeering and shouting and other hateful mob-mentality behaviour that goes with them on-screen as well as in real life. And if you go there with a mate who does enjoy these loathsome pursuits, you won't get any conversation out of them because they'll be glued to the spectacle. They can't resist. If they do talk to you at all, they'll talk about the bloody “match”.
5. TheOld Royal Oak Tavern, Tabard Street, Borough
And just down the road. Lovely little Proper London Boozer, but a tied house of Harvey's of Sussex. Which is a good thing, as their beers are terrific. I should go there more often.
EDIT: I got the name wrong. And can't spell the proper-name form of tailor. I am such an amateur. (Er, I mean, it's these little touches of veracity that show that I didn't Google any of this stuff... Right?)
6. The Bricklayer's Arms, Putney
Another pub I should go to more, but my friends in the area tend to be abroad far too often. You know who you are. The only TimothyTailor Taylor tied house I'm aware of in London, and a great little place it is, too. The one beer festival I attended was also excellent, promoted to the status of “legendary” by the clearance sale the day after it ended. Oh my yes.
EDIT: apparently it's not under tie, it just does the whole range of Tim T beers.
7. The Czech and Slovak National House, Hampstead
Not sure this really counts as a pub at all and I passionately wish it had a bigger range of Czech beers, but it's got unique character and the beer they do have is great. The food is interesting, too: proper authentic Eastern European fatty stodge. I'd urge at least a one-off visit.
8. Quinn's, Camden Town/Kentish Town borders
I used to like this place, but then I got barred, as far as I can tell for the heinous crime of kissing my girlfriend – who was not of the same race as me. Such bigotry is a damned shame.
Absent friends
1. The Head of Steam / The Doric Arch, Euston
Once a great ale pub, but now taken over by Fullers' and horribly impoverished. Terrible shame.
2. The Beer Circus, South Croydon
A great little Belgian beer pub. In Croydon. Not even in a trendy bit, inasmuch as Croydon ever had those. It couldn't last, and it didn't.
Coda
The sort of reader who might go through this list in a knowledgeable fashion, pondering beer quality above pretty much anything else, is likely to know some great places that I don't, in which case, do please tell me about them.
A perfectly decent pub that doesn't have an exceptional range of beer, or which can't keep it well, will therefore fail to appear in this list. Special deals on strong alcohol (i.e. loads of drunks), club nights, live music and so on will usually put me off, too.
It's all about the beer.
No web links, full addresses or anything. Find 'em yourselves. The cognoscenti will probably know them all, anyway.
1. The Sultan, Norman Road/De Burgh Road, Colliers Wood
I feel I have to put this first, as it's my “local”. Hopback's only tied house in London, but it's a gem. Not the greatest range of beers in the world, but a lovely back-street “old man's pub”, and one of its standard offerings remains, after some years now, still my favourite beer. There are others that have impressed me more, but Summer Lightning is the only one I could drink all night.
When I moved to the Colliers Wood area, nearly a decade ago, two friends emailed me in reply to my change-of-address email. Their emails were almost identical. They said:
“Colliers Wood? You [jammy git|lucky bastard]! You will be just a [stone's throw|short walk] away from one of London's best real ale pubs! Did you plan this, or was it an accident?”
Well, it was an accident, and when I confessed, neither would tell me where it was. But I found it, and it's a gem.
2. The Dovetail, Jerusalem Passage, Clerkenwell
My personal favourite Belgian beer bar in London. Cosy, charming, friendly, interesting beers, not too horribly expensive, and rather pleasant food, too.
3. The Wenlock Arms, near Old Street & City Road
A couple of friends have turned up here to meet me and high-tailed it away, saying that it was intimidating or full of unfriendly locals or smelled of wee. Well, I love the place and find the locals quite friendly. The pub quiz is a good hard one, albeit without much of a prize, the live jazz of a weekend is great – if a bit too much for such a small pub – and the beer range is splendid.
4. The Lowlander Café, Drury Lane, Covent Garden
A great date pub! Big, bright, cheerful, friendly, unintimidating, fancy nosh, great beer. Expensive, but worth it. Tends to be a bit loud, but highly enjoyable. Recommended by
suaveswede. Oh the shame, that a foreigner should know the beer venues of my own city better than I!5. Zeistgeist, Black Prince Road, Vauxhall
Great little back-street German bier bar. Not as well-known as it deserves to be, and as it serves only German beers, it therefore doesn't sell anything CAMRA would call “real ale”, which rather highlights a weakness of that august organization. Lamentable habit of showing big-screen football, though.
6. The White Horse, Parson's Green
A recommendation from
reverendjim and a damned fine one it was, too. Sloaney bar in a sloaney bit of west London, but a great beer range and implausibly regular (and terrific) beer festivals. It doesn't hurt that it's usually rammed full of posh totty, either. (If that is your thing, which it very much is mine. Whichever gender you prefer, it's there in abundance.) Also serves lightly-burned dead animal outside, if that's your thing. I stay indoors as a result.7. The Dove, Broadway Market, Bethnal Green
Parent pub of the Dovetail. Bigger, roomier, better menu, and they serve British ales as well as the Belgian stuff. Sadly, though, it's miles away from anywhere I generally frequent.
8. Priory Arms, Priory Grove, Stockwell
I used to be a regular; now, less so, alas. Great little back-street ale house with an interesting beer selection both on draught and in the fridge. Another good pub occasionally spoiled by TV ball games, sadly. Best avoided at certain times; the snag is, I don't know when those times are, so some visits are ruined.
9. The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell near Farringdon
Low on the list as it's an odd little place, but it's a good one. A short hop, skip & jump from the Dovetail, this is a curious little olde-worldey tavern painted in vile institutional green... but it has a remarkable range of gravity-poured St Peter's Ales, when all one normally sees is the (excellent) organic Golden Ale in its distinctive green-glass flask-shaped bottles.
10. The Claret, Addiscombe, Croydon
Coming bottom as although I go there more than anywhere else on this list, I don't feel it's really “mine”: 29 times out of 30, I go there to attend a meetup of a bunch of mates. Fantastic little beer pub, though, one of Croydon's gems. Pisses all over the Green Dragon from a great height, much more congenial and with better ale than the Ship despite the latter's music, and friendlier than the fairly-nearby Cricketers.
And another ten honourable mentions...
1. The Bree Louise, Euston
A new discovery for me, but shows immense promise: interesting combination of a slightly run-down seeming old-fashioned London boozer with a stunning range of beers and ciders.
2. The Rake, Borough Market
Great little pub, but the operative word here is “little”. It's minute. As a result, not recommended unless you like standing amidst a jostling throng while you drink.
3. The Market Porter, Borough Market
Fine ale pub, but it's very bare and spartan, and yet usually absolutely thronged with suits from the City, which rather takes the shine off. Interesting range of Meantime stuff on draught.
4. The Wheatsheaf, Borough Market
Bit of a geographical theme emerging here. This place is the current venue for the ZZ9 meetings, and it's promising. Spacious, great beer, handy location for SE London types. Too many TVs showing too much sport, though. And in response to those who might appeal this frequent criticism, yes, it is a problem, either way. Those of us who passionately hate ball-games can't escape them, nor the jeering and shouting and other hateful mob-mentality behaviour that goes with them on-screen as well as in real life. And if you go there with a mate who does enjoy these loathsome pursuits, you won't get any conversation out of them because they'll be glued to the spectacle. They can't resist. If they do talk to you at all, they'll talk about the bloody “match”.
5. The
And just down the road. Lovely little Proper London Boozer, but a tied house of Harvey's of Sussex. Which is a good thing, as their beers are terrific. I should go there more often.
EDIT: I got the name wrong. And can't spell the proper-name form of tailor. I am such an amateur. (Er, I mean, it's these little touches of veracity that show that I didn't Google any of this stuff... Right?)
6. The Bricklayer's Arms, Putney
Another pub I should go to more, but my friends in the area tend to be abroad far too often. You know who you are. The only Timothy
EDIT: apparently it's not under tie, it just does the whole range of Tim T beers.
7. The Czech and Slovak National House, Hampstead
Not sure this really counts as a pub at all and I passionately wish it had a bigger range of Czech beers, but it's got unique character and the beer they do have is great. The food is interesting, too: proper authentic Eastern European fatty stodge. I'd urge at least a one-off visit.
8. Quinn's, Camden Town/Kentish Town borders
I used to like this place, but then I got barred, as far as I can tell for the heinous crime of kissing my girlfriend – who was not of the same race as me. Such bigotry is a damned shame.
Absent friends
1. The Head of Steam / The Doric Arch, Euston
Once a great ale pub, but now taken over by Fullers' and horribly impoverished. Terrible shame.
2. The Beer Circus, South Croydon
A great little Belgian beer pub. In Croydon. Not even in a trendy bit, inasmuch as Croydon ever had those. It couldn't last, and it didn't.
Coda
The sort of reader who might go through this list in a knowledgeable fashion, pondering beer quality above pretty much anything else, is likely to know some great places that I don't, in which case, do please tell me about them.
