Historical version 10 of Category Pubs (view current version)

Pubs are great. We like pubs. Some of them have beer gardens. Most people have experienced the dilemma of finding a pub that's open after 11pm - a particular nightmare in the centre of town. Similarly, there are those venues that conjur up a strange air of 'Deliverance' that are best avoided unless you carry fire-arms as a matter of course (or like getting beaten up/stared at in a strangely disturbing way.)

Some pubs (notably JD Wetherspoon ones) have (in some people's opinion) a fascistic attitude to smokers, with the only smoking tables being located next to a constantly open door or the toilets (though, if you're on the pull, sitting next to the toilets of your gender preference is a good way to eye up passing talent. Following desirable people in to the toilets is not, however, acceptable behaviour).

Pub-related phenomena include closing time, pub crawls and vertical drinking.

Our recommendations

  • The Head of Steam is a good real ale pub next to Euston Station.
  • De Hems in Soho does draught Kriek and other good Belgian beers.
  • The Jerusalem Tavern in Clerkenwell does some very nice and unusual beers from the small St Peter's brewery.
  • If you're ever forced to go to Bromley, The Partridge on the High Street is probably your best bet.

London Pub Guides

  • Pubs Outwith Oxfordshire (London section) (Colin Batchelor's pub guide. I'm not clever enough to write it a suitable description, although the first sentence in these parentheses actually does quite a good job.) But, argh, it has gone. We are going to hunt him down and make him put it back. See http://tantallon.org.uk/ in the meantime.
  • Pubs.com ("traditional and historic London pubs")
  • The Random London Pub Finder ("It is our mission to return a joyful element of luck to the night on the tiles, to free the harassed from the onerous duties of choosing a pub for the big night out (which everyone then complains about anyway), to allow the pub going public to throw themselves into the arms of fate!")
  • London Elite guide to pubs and bars ("The establishments and service providers listed on this site have been carefully chosen as places that exude that extra style and class that the discerning consumer seeks in London. They are not necessarily the most expensive. We avoid places that are pompous and pretentious and which take themselves too seriously.")
This is version 10 (as of 2003-12-15 15:26:13). View current version. List all versions.