A good pub feels like a living artifact of London’s heritage. A place to drink a cold pint and eat modern British cuisine or old-fashioned pies and chips. They’re part of the fabric of every neighborhood and found everywhere: in centuries-old buildings hidden down cobblestone lanes, in landmarks dressed in seasonal flowers, and on the riverside concealing 400-year-old stories of emigration. They’re a cornerstone of British tradition and where you’ll find the soul of London.
While there are many great new pubs in the capital, these are the old ones, the pubs with long histories and ingrained traditions. They are stunning, and they have a story to tell. Pubs with timeless charm like The Mayflower — where future Americans once set sail to the New World, and Chelsea’s elegant Cadogan Arms, recently renovated to restore it as one of London’s most beautiful historic pubs.
London’s Most Famous Pub? The Churchill Arms, Kensington
119 Kensington Church St, London W8 7LN
Daily: 11:00am – 11:00pm, Sunday: 12:00pm – 10:30pm
Any Instagrammer will tell you this is the go-to pub if you want guaranteed clicks for the feed. Dating back to the 18th century (and an earlier version popular with the Churchills — hence the name), the Churchill Arms is most often seen dressed in all the colors of an English garden, with pretty pinks, purples, and reds cascading down the facade and obscuring parts of the windows, but in the winter, the pub undergoes a transformation with Christmas trees and twinkling lights illuminating the street like the Harrods of ale.
Inside, you’ll find a massive collection of British memorabilia, Churchill paintings, and photographs stuffed into every inch of available space. The pub is owned by Fuller’s Brewery, so the menu is a classic mix of real ales and traditional Thai food, a contemporary staple of Fuller’s pubs for the last 3 decades.
Locals Insider tip: A victim of its own success, the Churchill Arms gets particularly busy on weekends, so it’s best to make a booking (after 6:00 pm only) to ensure a seat. But squeezing up against the bar for a pint will work, too.
Hidden in a Backstreet: Ye Old Mitre, Holborn
1 Ely Ct, Ely Pl, London EC1N 6SJ
Mon-Fri: 11:00am – 11:00pm
Tucked down an alleyway next to the jewelry quarter (Hatton Garden), Ye Old Mitre is a classic West End pub, dating to 1546 and oozing charm from every brick. The interiors are cozy and convivial, with original black wooden beams and tankards dangling from the low ceiling, and the seating spills out into the alleyway with barrels posed as tables illuminated by Victorian lamps.
The drinks menu is huge and well-curated with a good mix of ales and beers, as well as real scrumpy cider (old fashioned and a bit stronger than typical cider) and a decent wine list, while the food is served as snacks like cheese and pickle sandwiches.
Locals Insider tip: Arrive around 6:00 pm to experience a real slice of London culture, with creatives from the jewelry quarter mingling with the after-work office crowds.
The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea
298 King’s Rd, London SW3 5UG
Mon-Wed: 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm Thurs-Sat: 12:00 pm-12:00 am / Sun: 12:00 pm-10:00 pm
Dating back to the 17th century when it was the Rose and Crown, The Cadogan Arms on Chelsea’s King’s Road is a west London institution. After a recent renovation, the Cadogan’s interiors are some of the most beautiful in London, with wood-paneled walls and vibrant art, crystal chandeliers, and a stained-glass-backed bar lit in amber displaying gin bottles and dried flowers.
The tables are unusually ornate, made of brass and marble, and chairs dressed in velvets and leathers. But this is all theatre for the delicious food, a menu of pub classics crafted by James Knappet (of Michelin-starred Kitchen Table) with standout dishes like the Black pudding scotch egg, Venison pie, and for Sunday lunch, a Longhorn rump in a bone marrow sauce. As for drinks, expect a bit of everything from Guinness and bottled cocktails to unique pilsners made for the Cadogan.
Locals Insider tip: If you’re staying for food, glance over the ‘Afters’ menu: a selection of cocktails based on classic desserts, such as the Sticky Toffee Old Fashioned and a Brandy and Baileys Eggnog.
A Victorian Quirk at The Lamb, Bloomsbury
94 Lamb’s Conduit St, London WC1N 3LZ
Mon-Wed: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm/ Thurs-Sat: 11:00 am – 12:00 am/ Sun: 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
This Grade II listed pub was built in the 1720s but refurbished in the Victorian era and, amongst its original wood-paneled wall and large gantry bar, retains a delightfully quirky Victorian feature called ‘snob screens’: essentially glass screens that allowed wealthy drinkers to not have to mix with the working classes and to drink undisturbed.
Additionally, the pub was a local for Charles Dickens and other writers such as Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath — owing to its location in Bloomsbury — London’s literary quarter. There’s a no music policy, which only adds to the Victorian atmosphere: all chatter and glasses clinking.
Locals Insider tip: The food, while fine, is nothing special, but a few doors south in an 18th-century townhouse is one of London’s most-loved foodie spots: Noble Rot, which serves an impeccable wine list alongside ‘Franglais’ dishes like Spaetzle and Winter truffle and Ox Cheek Bourguignon.
The History of the USA at The Mayflower, Rotherhithe
117 Rotherhithe St, London SE16 4NF
Daily: 12:00pm – 11:00pm, Sunday: 12:00pm – 10:00pm
Sleepy Rotherhithe is a short walk from Tower Bridge but feels like a countryside village, and its star resident, the Mayflower, is one of London’s most charming and historic pubs. Not only is it one of the oldest on the River Thames, dating back to the 1600s, but it was also the starting point for the Pilgrim Father’s Mayflower Ship, which, in 1640, carried the Pilgrims to the New World, thus playing an integral role in the formation of the USA. Today, the pub is every bit the traditional English pub.
A warm welcome leads to crackling open fireplaces, pint tankards hanging from the bar, wooden beams crisscrossing the ceilings, and the walls are busy with Union Jacks and sailing paraphernalia. The pub has a few quirks, too, such as being the only pub in the UK licensed (since the 1800s) to sell UK and American stamps, and there’s a Mayflower Descendants Book to sign for those who can prove a connection to the original Pilgrim Fathers.
Locals Insider tip: The food is some of the best pub food you’ll find between London Bridge and Greenwich, with a dedicated dining area upstairs, but if you’re only looking for a pint, grab one at the bar and head through the back for a seat on the Thameside terrace with views of the London cityscape.
A Neighborhood Classic at the Morgan Arms, Bow
43 Morgan St, Bow, London E3 5AA
Daily: 12:00pm – 11:00pm, Sunday: 12:00pm – 10:00pm
You’ll find the Morgan Arms in the middle of Mile End and Bow — the East End neighborhoods keeping Cockney authenticity alive and well — with barely touched Victorian architecture and old-world charm aplenty. And while the area was once known as cutthroat alley, it’s now a quiet neighborhood with pretty townhouses and a laidback creative community often found in the Morgan Arms, a pub that balances east-end authenticity with the neighborhood’s newfound modernity.
The interiors are light and spacious, with plenty of sun through huge glass windows, and the wooden gantry is spectacular, often adorned with climbing plants and flowers. But it’s the drinks that shine: with organic and natural wines, natural English ciders with the lightest of sparkles, local draughts on tap, and a range of international bottled beers.
The food at the Morgan Arms is mostly East End classics given a contemporary twist, like Baked Devon crab and scrumpy oysters, but an international slant has come to dominate recent menus with dishes like pumpkin and sage ravioli served with garlic butter.
Locals Insider tip: At the back of the restaurant room, there’s a tiny courtyard, ideal for summer sipping, and on Wednesdays, you can register for the pub quiz.
A Sunday Roast at The Albert Arms, Southwark
1 Gladstone St, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6EY
Mon-Tue: 04:00 pm – 10:30 pm, Wed-Sun: 12:00 pm-10:30 pm
The Albert Arms is a surprisingly modern space wrapped up in an authentic Georgian shell that used to be two pubs: the Victoria and The Albert. The front of the pub is a little bar space with just a handful of tables, but for diners, there’s a back room with a crackling open fireplace ideal for winter feasting, while the beautiful cul de sac outside becomes a standing terrace for drinks in the summer months.
The pub drinks menu is filled with real ales, lagers, craft beers, and an extensive Gin selection, and the food menu changes daily. Expect collaborations on Mondays and Tuesdays and a traditional menu of fish and chips, burgers, and charcuterie from Wednesdays to Saturdays.
Local Insider tip: Sunday roast is a big deal on the English calendar, and there are few places as good as the Albert Arms on the Southside of the Thames. You’ll choose from things like slow-cooked roast beef and chicken and classic English desserts, and there are vegetarian options, too.
An Authentic Coach House, The George, Borough
75 Borough High St, London SE1 1NH
greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/george-southwark
Daily: 11:00am – 11:00pm
Years ago, there would’ve been gates on either side of London Bridge preventing travelers from crossing at night, so for those traveling with a coach, there were coachhouses, and this pub in an old cobbled courtyard was one of those coachhouses. Inside, the ceilings hang low with history and beams cuddling evocative, dimly lit spaces that have played host to everyone from Dickens to Princess Margaret.
But there are beautiful front galleries on the facade, a once common feature of 16th-century coaching inns, and this is the last pub in London to have them. There’s a map on the exterior wall, as there’s a collection of bars and restaurants inside, and it’s a bit of a maze for first-timers, but in the summer, the courtyard provides a fabulous spot for a pint with a view of the Shard.
Locals Insider tip: After the pub, skip across the road to visit Borough Market. There’s street food at the back, and the produce market specializes in European cheeses, charcuterie, and artisan bread.
A Musical Institution: The Old Blue Last, Shoreditch
38 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3ES
Mon: 01:00pm – 12:00am/ Tue: 12:30pm – 12:00am / Wed: 12:30pm – 12:00am/ Thurs: 12:30pm – 01:00am/ Fri-Sat: 12:30pm – 03:00am
This East End boozer in the heart of Shoreditch has a 300-year history that’s seen it change identity repeatedly: from a pub, sold to Truman’s Brewery to be demolished and rebuilt, before being turned into a strip club, an illegal brothel, and back to a pub again. Today, it’s pretty bare-bones, with a dark aesthetic with black walls contrasting with the striking wood-paneled bar.
There are real ales and lagers on tap, as well as wines and gin and tonics, with specials like the house wines, spirits and mixers, and Amstel for as little as £4.60 during happy hour. But it’s the Old Blue Last’s modern history that makes it interesting, particularly for music lovers, as in the early 2000s, the pub was a focus point for the Indie Sleaze movement showcasing gigs from acts like the Arctic Monkeys and Amy Winehouse, just before they were famous.
Locals Insider tip: The Old Blue Last remains an important grass-roots music venue, with gigs and events daily, so check the listings to get a ticket for a gig in the legendary upstairs room.
Complete List of Historical London Pubs and Addresses
- The Old Blue Last
38 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3ES - The Churchill Arms
119 Kensington Church St, London W8 7LN - Ye Old Mitre
1 Ely Ct, Ely Pl, London EC1N 6SJ - The Cadogan Arms
298 King’s Rd, London SW3 5UG - The Lamb
94 Lamb’s Conduit St, London WC1N 3LZ - The Mayflower
117 Rotherhithe St, London SE16 4NF - The Morgan Arms
43 Morgan St, Bow, London E3 5AA - The Albert Arms
1 Gladstone St, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6EY - The George
75 Borough High St, London SE1 1NH
Did we miss your favorite pub in London? Let us know: hello@localsinsider.com.
