Category · 47 spots
Neighborhood gems away from the tourist trail
Near Fulham
A tiny riverside pub in Hammersmith with a beer garden that overlooks the Thames. Hemingway and Graham Greene drank here.
Near West Ham United
A canalside brewery, bar and pizzeria built out of reclaimed materials in an old print factory. House lagers, sourdough pizzas and a deck right on the Hertford Union Canal.
A floating bar moored on the Hertford Union Canal serving coffee, natural wine, beer and ice cream from a converted boat with a sun-soaked deck.
Near Millwall
Named after the ship that sailed to America. A 16th-century pub right on the Thames with a deck that practically hovers over the water.
The only surviving galleried coaching inn in London. Dickens drank here, and it's managed by the National Trust.
Near Arsenal
A pub disguised as a jungle. The terrace climbs three storeys of foliage, fairy lights and rickety wooden decks.
Near Queens Park Rangers
Grand 1828 gin palace restored to its glory, vaulted ceilings, horseshoe bar and a serious wine list.
Corner gastropub between QPR and Hammersmith with a daily-changing blackboard and a tiny back patio.
Sam Smith's pub on the Thames with a balcony that hangs right over the water. Turner painted from here.
Near Charlton Athletic
Wood-panelled East Greenwich pub with live music, real ales and a fish-and-chips kitchen out back.
Victorian corner gastropub on the Hackney and Islington border, known locally as the DB Arms. Food led, no TV, no music.
Near Chelsea
Famous for being completely covered in flowers outside. Inside, it's a Thai restaurant upstairs and a cozy pub downstairs.
A proper Chelsea backstreet pub with a wood-panelled bar downstairs and a serious dining room above.
Eighteenth-century Chelsea pub with a glass-roofed back room and pots of geraniums spilling off every windowsill.
Near Tottenham Hotspur
Brewery tap a bus ride from the stadium. Their full range plus guest kegs and a long communal hall.
Victorian gem on Stratford Broadway with etched glass, mahogany and a beer garden round the back.
Near Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace triangle pub with craft on tap, sharing plates and a sunny front terrace.
The 'Sloaney Pony', landmark Parsons Green pub with a beer garden onto the green and a serious ale selection.
Near Brentford
Listed Victorian pub by Kew Bridge with a snug front bar, a beer garden and a proper cellar.
Tucked-away East Greenwich corner pub with craft beer, board games and friendly bar staff.
Eighteenth-century coaching inn on Charlton Village green with low ceilings and roaring fires in winter.
Near Leyton Orient
Sympathetically restored Victorian street-corner pub with cask ales and a small kitchen doing pub classics.
Light, friendly Leyton High Road pub with a small back garden and a rotating cask line-up.
Near AFC Wimbledon
Pub on the edge of Wimbledon Common with a long bar, a fireplace and a smart menu.
Young's coaching inn on the village high street with a cobbled courtyard and roaring fires.
Near Barnet
Grade II Art Deco pub right by Edgware station with a magnificent oak-panelled saloon bar.
East Finchley gastropub with a butcher's-counter approach to meat and a dog-friendly bar.
An iconic Hackney Wick power house right on the canal, with fresh beats, eats and drinks, and a huge waterside terrace overlooking the Hertford Union.
A Marylebone local with excellent ales and a proper Sunday roast. No tourists, just regulars who know each other by name.
Backstreet boozer five minutes from the Emirates with a pool table, jukebox and proper bar staff who pull a slow pint.
Light, airy corner pub at the top of the triangle with a good wine list and a steady weekend crowd.
Riverside pub overlooking the Brent and Thames meeting at Brentford Lock. Big terrace, easy food.
Two-floor pub on Shepherd's Bush Green with leather sofas upstairs and a busy ground-floor bar.
Antic-style Leytonstone corner pub with craft on tap, sourdough pizzas and a steady neighbourhood crowd.
Big Wimbledon Hill pub with a roof terrace, Sunday roasts and Young's beers on tap.
Near Sutton United
Converted Cheam Village bank, vaulted ceilings, oversized windows and a wide cask range.
Mill Hill landmark pub with a cosy front bar, a sun-trap garden and a Sunday roast queue from 1pm.
Right opposite the new stadium. Refurb pub with stone-baked pizzas, big screens and a yard that fills up on matchdays.
Bistro pub inside Westfield with a Guinness pour worth queueing for and oysters at the bar.
Antic pub in a converted post office with stripped floors, big windows and rotating cask ales.
Fulham-end of the King's Road gastropub with a heated garden, log fires and decent burgers.
Properly local Brentford boozer, darts, dominoes and a landlord who knows everyone.
Converted spice warehouse on the river by the Golden Hinde with vast oak beams and a wide terrace.
Reliable Sutton High Street pub with cask ales, big screens and an upstairs room for live music.
Old-school suburban locals' pub near Sutton Common station, darts, pool and a back garden.
Wetherspoons on the High Road but with character, high ceilings, cheap pints and a steady crowd of regulars.
A straightforward Brentford pub with sports TV, outdoor seating and a solid post-match burger.
