In a city that boasts over 3,500 pubs; it’s pretty difficult to know which watering hole is the very best of the lot. But luckily for us, CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) have saved us a job by generously trawling through them all – leaving no pint unturned – in a bid to seek out the best pub in (greater) London as part of their prestigious Pub of the Year competition. Not all heroes wear capes, hey?
As the highly esteemed competition heats up, the best pub in each region of the UK has been crowned based on their “atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, inclusivity, overall impression, but most importantly – the quality of live beer, real cider and perry”. The 17 finalists will now compete to be named the National Pub of the Year, with the judges whittling them down to a final four in late September. But, in the meantime, we thought we’d give greater London’s regional winner a well-deserved shoutout. Because, well – it’s not every day you’re named the best pub in the city, right?
Credit: @campaignforrealale via Instagram
So, without further ado, topping the London pub charts is (drum roll, please)… the Little Green Dragon in Winchmore Hill. The much-loved micropub is actually no stranger to a CAMRA award, and are the proud owners of multiple shiny trophies, having been crowned Enfield and Barnet’ Pub of the Year a whopping five times (the first time being just a year after opening).
The Little Green Dragon Ale House is Enfield’s OG micropub, after opening its doors back in 2017 with an aim of providing the local community with a perfect little haven for socialising, without the distraction of TVs and slot machines. Board games and traditional pub games like table skittles are more in keeping with the vibe at the Little Green Dragon And sometimes a little sprinkling of live music, too.
Credit: @lgd_micropub via Instagram
The pub’s main priority is (and has always been) the quality and diversity of their drinks, making it easy to see why they’re a CAMRA favourite. They serve up an ever-changing selection of four real ales and four craft keg beers, each sourced from local microbreweries and independent brewers.
With its eclectic interiors (complete with repurposed bus seats), its brew-lliant beer offering, and its old school charm; it’s certainly not hard to see how the Little Green Dragon has been named the best pub in greater London. Let’s just hope they make it to the final four in September, we’ll keep you posted – of course.
Credit: @lgd_micropub via Instagram
Andrea Briers, National Coordinator for the Pub of the Year competition says: “These amazing pubs really are the crème de la crème and I would encourage the public to seek out the 17 winners from across the nations and regions of the UK – they are top-tier pubs serving excellent beer, cider and perry, run by welcoming, hardworking staff.
“It’s also important to support your local all year round. With constant pressure from stubbornly high energy prices, fluctuating running costs and grossly unfair business rates threatening to drown pubs across the UK, it’s vital to get out and support the licensed trade.”
So, will London come up trumps and snap up the oh-so sought-after title of Pub of the Year? Only time will tell, I suppose…
Plan your visit to the Little Green Dragon Ale House here.
📍 928 Green Lanes, N21 2AD