London is absolutely stuffed to the brim with delightful boozers. There are beautiful pubs and gorgeous drinking dens to be found around every corner of the city. And while we’re all partial to our local, in a city with so many options, which one is the best of them all? To find out, we turned to you, Secret London readers, and asked you where we can find the very best pub in London.
The answer isn’t some hole-in-the-wall hidden spot. (After all, you’ve got to be able to find it!) Nor is it one of the city’s most historic pubs – even if it does have a pretty interesting history. And it isn’t the most beautiful boozer in town, either, although it sure is a pretty stunning spot for a drink. Instead, it straddles all of those worlds. That’s because, according to Secret London readers, The Anchor Bankside is the best boozer around.
The Anchor Bankside
It’s a pub that almost every Londoner has visited, seen, walked past, or heard about. Thanks to its riverside perch, convenient location near Borough Market, and charming red-accented exterior, it’s a popular spot for locals, commuters, and tourists alike. It doesn’t hurt that it photographs gorgeously, thanks in no small part to the nearby Shard. (So you’ve likely seen it at least 17 times on your social feed.)
But all that means nothing if the pub itself isn’t also a delight. And it truly is a charming spot all year-round. Come in the summer and you’ll be fighting for some of the outdoor tables. Or come in the cooler months, and you’ll get nice and cosy inside.
As if that wasn’t enough, it’s also got a fascinating story. The pub was rebuilt in 1676 after the great fire of London. Today, it’s “the sole survivor of the river taverns of Shakespeare’s time”. How’s that for a fun fact to tell your mates when you visit!?
The best pubs in London
Obviously, in a city with as many pubs (and opinions) as London, The Anchor Bankside wasn’t the only boozer singled out for recognition. According to your responses, these are some of the very best pubs in the city:
- The Anchor Bankside
- The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping
- The Dickens Inn, St Katharine Docks
- The Churchill Arms, Kensington
- The Southampton Arms, Kentish Town
- The Harp, Covent Garden
- The Hawley Arms, Camden
- Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, City of London
- The Pelton Arms, Greenwich
- The Faltering Fullback, Finsbury Park
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