The Best Gastropubs In And Around London
Still think it’s just restaurants that serve the best food in London? You’re wrong. Now, many of the dishes are found in pubs. London’s best burger? It’s in a pub. Best Indian? In a pub. Best seafood? You guessed it, it’s in a pub.
For a city of such enthusiastic drinkers, putting the best food in pubs was an obvious stroke of genius, and publicans up and down the Thames have seen the light. From Kentish Town to Camberwell, Soho to Marlow, these are the best gastropubs in and around London.
The Lore of the Land
Yes, it’s Guy Ritchie’s pub, but Lore of the Land earns its place here on the strength of the food rather than the famous name attached to it. The ground floor is still very much a pub, while upstairs the open kitchen cooks seasonal British produce over charcoal, ember and flame. The copper counter overlooking the kitchen is the seat to nab if you can, and Sundays are particularly worth knowing about for the slow-cooked roasts. Spread across three floors of an old Fitzrovia boozer, it feels reassuringly pubby despite the rather serious cooking.
This is the best pub roast I’ve ever had – and believe me when I say ‘I’ve had my fair share’. It’s polished, cool, and every single dish I’ve had here has been impeccable.
Natasha, Digital Editor
Where: 4 Conway St, London W1T 6BB
Website: www.loreoftheland.com
The Devonshire
Rarely has a place opened to such a fever pitch as The Devonshire did in 2023. Aided by a recent surge in Guinness popularity, it supposedly does the best pint in town. However, the real jewel is the restaurant upstairs.
Focusing on British produce, the ember grill restaurant serves Scottish beef, dry-aged and butchered on-site, creel-caught langoustines from Oban and fresh day boat fish, lobster, and hand-dived scallops from Devon. There are also classic desserts, including sticky toffee and bread and butter puddings.
where: 17 Denman St, London W1D 7HW
website: www.devonshiresoho.co.uk
The Eagle in Farringdon
You can’t really write about London gastropubs without The Eagle. Opened by Michael Belben and chef David Eyre in 1991, it is widely credited with starting the gastropub movement by bringing restaurant-quality ingredients and cooking into a proper pub setting. More than three decades later, that formula hasn’t changed much. The menu is chalked up twice a day just before service, with food loosely inspired by the Mediterranean and cooked to order by a tiny kitchen team. Grab one of the free-seating tables or a bar stool and eat whatever looks best on the board.
This is my tried and true, the ultimate place for someone who respects good cooking but still wants to throw back several pints. Get a steak sandwich and a bottle of chilled Fleurie and don’t ask if they have any chips.
Mallory, Junior Food & Drink Editor
Where: 159 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3AL
Website: www.theeaglefarringdon.co.uk
The Prince Arthur
The Prince Arthur has become one of those pubs where you might arrive for a pint and end up ordering half the menu. Head Chef Will Samuel is currently behind the food, with a menu that moves between oysters and mushroom toast to more substantial plates, while Sundays have become something of an event in their own right. Expect roasts that go well beyond beef and chicken, with the likes of confit duck, Toulouse sausage and venison and bone marrow pie appearing alongside all the necessary potatoes, Yorkshires and gravy.
Where: 95 Forest Rd, London E8 3BH
Website: www.theprincearthure8.com
The Shaston Arms
Soho gained a very good new pub when The Shaston Arms reopened in 2025 under Joe Grossmann, the founder of Patty & Bun and the man behind Barnes’ Waterman’s Arms. Food here follows a seasonal European bent, with a menu written daily around what’s good: snacks, sharing plates, house-made pasta, prime cuts and market fish. There are just 16 bookable seats in the little dining room at the back, while the rest of the pub remains largely walk-in, which is exactly how a Soho pub should be.
Where: 4-6 Ganton St, Carnaby, London W1F 7QN
Website: www.theshastonarms.co.uk
Red Lion & Sun
A pub has stood on this Highgate site since the 16th century, although these days The Red Lion & Sun is probably best known for its food — and two very good beer gardens. The menu changes daily, leaning into modern British pub cooking and some excellent sourcing, with produce coming from the likes of Natoora, Flying Fish Cornwall, Aubrey Allen and Portland Shellfish. It’s particularly good when the sun comes out and you can claim a garden table, although the wood-burning fire makes a compelling argument for coming back in winter.
Where: 25 North Rd, London N6 4BE
Website: www.theredlionandsun.com
The Latimer
The Spiteri family know their way around a London dining room, and The Latimer is their family-run take on the neighbourhood pub. Lorcan Spiteri heads up the kitchen, cooking a seasonal British menu that manages to feel considered without losing sight of the fact that you’ve come to a pub. There are bar snacks and an off-menu burger for those staying near the pints, while the dining room takes things a little more seriously. It’s exactly the sort of local you’d be very pleased to discover at the end of your road.
Where: 274 Latimer Rd, London W10 6QW
Website: www.thelatimer.co.uk
The Cow
There are few London combinations as reliable as Guinness and oysters at The Cow. Tom Conran’s Westbourne Park institution has been doing its thing since 1995, with the downstairs saloon bar remaining one of the best places in west London to order a pint of prawns, oysters or its famous fish stew and settle in for the afternoon. Upstairs is the more formal dining room, but we’d argue much of The Cow’s charm comes from squeezing in downstairs and ordering whatever seafood looks good that day.
Where: 89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH
Website: www.thecowlondon.com
The Knave of Clubs
After sitting empty for around 30 years, The Knave of Clubs is back, and it has returned with a very good reason to stay for dinner. The rotisserie is the main event, turning out whole chickens with chermoula glaze and porchetta with salsa verde, while the rest of the menu moves through oysters, prawn cocktail, fried chicken and toasties. Sundays swap in chicken-fat roast potatoes and proper gravy. It still feels firmly like a pub, though — Guinness, crisps and a pint at the bar remain very much encouraged.
Where: 25 Bethnal Grn Rd, London E1 6HT
Website: www.theknaveofclubs.co.uk
The Camberwell Arms
Brought to you by the team behind Frank’s and Mike’s, The Camberwell Arms is the neighbourhood restaurant tucked inside a 19th-century pub. Offering informal service and seasonal, produce-first dishes, it’s the perfect place to head for a mid-week lunch or epic Sunday lunch.
The interiors are simple and unfussy, with the restaurant really coming into its own through the food. Menu highlights include fried mullet with vesuvio tomato and anchovy; grilled mackerel with San Marzano tomatoes and butter beans; and Old Spot pork chop with fried potatoes, cicoria and aioli to share.
where: 65 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8TR
website: www.thecamberwellarms.co.uk
The Brook & Badger
Munster Road is now home to The Brook and Badger, a bright pub from the owners of Brook House. A gorgeous corner plot a stone’s throw from Parsons Green, and a relaxed atmosphere that holds a lovely wine list (Try the Vinho Verde), welcoming staff, and gorgeous roasts – table shaking crackling is the sign you’re in for a treat!
Where: 224 Munster Road, Fulham, SW6 6AY
Website: www.brookandbadger.com
The Tamil Crown and The Tamil Prince
A pub serving Indian food – what’s not to love? If you love your cocktails with your curries, then The Tamil Crown (and Prince) are two fabulous spots to head to. The Tamil Crown serves up a desi take on the Sunday roast, with the masala roast chicken and the masala lamb shank that comes with potato and peas masala, coconut stir-fried cabbage, mixed veg avial, gobi 65, roti and gravy.
At The Tamil Prince in Islington, you can get yourself a traditional South Indian breakfast – so we’re talking madhu vadai, dosas, filter coffee, and all the classic favourites.
where: 16 Elia Street, London, N1 1BZ
website: www.thetamilcrown.com
The Jugged Hare
The Jugged Hare delivers an exceptional dining experience rooted firmly in elevated and creative British classics. Showcasing dishes such as black pudding croquettes paired cleverly with a tangy HP sauce, and Cornish brill with smoked haddock mash, brought together by a delicate white wine sauce (one of the best fish dishes we’ve had). It’s worth noting, however, that the menu changes frequently with the game seasons.
Stepping inside feels like travelling back in time to a traditional country pub, abundant with game-inspired décor, timeless wooden furnishings, and vintage touches. For those seeking innovative dining in a warm and unique setting, The Jugged Hare is definitely one to add to your list.
where: 49 Chiswell St, London EC1Y 4sb
Website: www.juggedhare.com
The Hero
This Maida Vale spot is a new entry, but might just be the most beautiful pub in London with old-school wood panelling, lots of natural light and stunning cooking over four floors. On the ground floor, there’s the pub, the restaurant is on the first floor and on the second floor there’s a cosy spot for classic cocktails and bartender-in-residence night, with a private dining area added in for good measure.
On the food side, think nostalgic British fare like cod cheeks with curry sauce, whole quail, scotch egg, steak and chips and fish pie.
where: 55 Shirland Rd, London W9 2JD
website: www.thehero9.com
The Parakeet
Here’s a simple insider London tip: If a pub is named after a relatively exotic bird, chances are it’ll serve great food, with The Parakeet as a case in point. As a pub, it’s a stunner – wood-panelled, open fire, with homemade classic pub snacks perfectly paired with a pint of Guinness or glass of wine.
For the restaurant, its menu changes with the seasons focusing on British dishes and produce harvested at its seasonal height and all cooked over flame. Think pigeon, kohlrabi with pickled elderberry and sea bream with piperade, meanwhile, on Sundays they serve their roast menu all day long.
where: 256 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2AA
website: www.theparakeetpub.com
The French House
‘Upstairs at The French House’ just has an iconic ring to it, like the cult film Weekend at Bernie’s or underrated Yazoo album Upstairs at Eric’s.
This pub is steeped in history – Charles de Gaulle is said to have written his rousing WWII speech “À tous les Français” here. Upstairs, they run a restaurant which was first opened by Fergus and Margot Henderson and is still one of London’s very best. The menu changes daily and is handwritten on a chalkboard – the very best of old-school Soho.
where: 49 Dean St, London W1D 5BG
website: www.frenchhousesoho.com
The Oarsman
Stepping outside London for a moment and heading to beautiful Marlow, The Oarsman focuses on sustainable sourcing and seasonality, with local producers being consulted to provide the goods.
Come the autumn, the larder is bursting with freshly harvested goods, primed to be plated up as dangerously moreish snacks and starters, handsome mains, and delectable desserts. From Cantabrian anchovies on toast and spicy fried chicken with lime and coriander to grilled merguez and rack of lamb with salsa verde, radish and a lamb croquette this is a foodie haven.
where: 46 Spittal St, Marlow SL7 1DB
website: www.theoarsman.co.uk
The Pelican
Remember what we said about birds? The Pelican is more strong evidence behind the theory. Another Notting Hill stunner, they run regular events from life drawing classes to supper clubs. The food is extremely high quality, they are strongly conscious of sustainability and the importance of local produce and suppliers, and the menu is filled with gems like whole roasted brill, ribeye steak and braised lamb with anchovy.
where: 45 All Saints Rd, London W11 1HE
website: www.thepelicanw11.com
The Plimsoll
A beautiful pub that also happens to have one of the most celebrated burgers in London? Say no more. The Dexter cheeseburger has become the stuff of Finsbury Park legend. Packed with meat, cheese and gherkins between brioche buns. A sink your teeth in and close your eyes experience.
where: 52 St Thomas’s Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 2QQ
book here
The Culpeper
This Shoreditch gem is an English bistro focusing on well-sourced ingredients cooked with classical techniques. The menu is kept deliberately small to ensure maximum sustainability, freshness and quality – this is the definition of all hits no misses. At the core are growers who put soil health front and centre, farmers who focus on native bread, and fishermen who respect the ecosystem of the seas. They also have a summer terrace for the warmer months and even some bedrooms.
where: 40 Commercial St, London E1 6LP
website: www.theculpeper.com
The Cadogan Arms
Chelsea’s Cadogan Arms finally reopened its doors in 2021 and we’re so glad it did. It’s been restored to its former glory, offering delicious fare centred around provenance, seasonality and traceability.
Expect traditional pub classics elevated to the nines, from ham, egg and chips with spiced pineapple ketchup to beer-battered fish and chips with tartare sauce, mushy peas and lemon. Their individual strawberry sherry trifle topped with almond crumble is an order staple.
where: 298 King’s Road, Chelsea, SW3 5UG
website: www.thecadoganarms.london
