The White Swan has been on the same patch of the Thames since 1714. When it opened, Alexander Pope was writing poetry just down the river. Turner was painting the exact stretch of water you can see from the beer garden. And sitting right in the middle of all of it, serving pints, was this pub. Above the fireplace there is a painting from 1760 showing the White Swan exactly as it looks today. Same building. Same river. And twice a day, every single day, the Thames still comes in and takes the garden back. London changes constantly. This place refuses to.
London just got a new proper pub! The Wild Swan has opened on Fetter Lane in Holborn and it is everything we love. Thornbridge Brewery, born deep in the Peak District back in 2005 and now boasting well over 500 awards worldwide, has finally made its London debut. Rotating cask ales, serious craft pours, Milanese style pizza made fresh every morning using Jaipur IPA in the dough, and a bespoke stained glass window made exclusively for this room. It is also the only pub in the entire country to hold BREEAM Excellence status, the world's leading sustainability certification. And the name? A quiet nod to the much loved White Swan that stood nearby until it was demolished in 2021, woven together with one of Thornbridge's earliest and most celebrated pale ales. History, beer, and pizza. On Fetter Lane. Go.
Moored along Regent's Canal at Granary Square, Word on the Water is London's only floating bookshop — a 1920s Dutch barge called Dianti that has survived near-sinkings, forced fortnightly migrations, and the indignity of losing a permanent mooring to a coffee shop before finally dropping anchor for good in 2015. Every inch of its century-old hull is packed with new and second-hand books, and on warmer evenings its rooftop stage hosts jazz, poetry slams, and open-mic nights above the water. Equal parts library, literary salon, and stubborn act of faith in the independent bookshop.
Widely regarded as the hardest pub in London to find, Ye Olde Mitre is tucked down a near-invisible alleyway off Hatton Garden and has been there in some form since 1546, when it was built for the servants of the Bishops of Ely. The dark panelled rooms are tiny, the only food is toasties and pork pies, and there is a preserved cherry tree trunk in the entrance that Queen Elizabeth I is said to have danced around with Sir Christopher Hatton. Seek it out, order a real ale and you will feel very pleased with yourself.
A Grade I listed galleried coaching inn on Borough High Street dating back to the 17th century, the George Inn is the last surviving example of its kind in London and the only pub owned by the National Trust. Its cobbled courtyard, wooden galleries and low beamed interior feel genuinely unchanged by the centuries, and Charles Dickens was a regular who even mentioned it in Little Dorrit. A pint in the courtyard on a summer evening is one of those simple London pleasures that is absolutely worth seeking out.
Inspired by the army mess bars of India, Brigadiers at Bloomberg Arcade in the City is a sprawling, gloriously loud Indian barbecue restaurant spread across several rooms of red leather booths, polished mahogany and gold detail. The live fire cooking is excellent, with tandoori lamb chops and beef shin biryani among the standouts, and the whole place doubles as one of London's best sports bars, with pool tables, whisky vending machines and cocktails on tap making it as much a destination for a big night out as a serious dinner.
A Portobello Road institution since 1974, Honest Jon's is one of London's most revered independent record shops, stocking an exceptionally curated selection of jazz, soul, funk, reggae, African music and electronic across both vinyl and CD. It has its own record label too, releasing music that reflects the same eclectic, deeply knowledgeable taste that has made the shop a destination for serious music lovers for over fifty years.
Perched at the top of Hampstead Heath since the 16th century, the Spaniards Inn is one of London's most beloved historic pubs, its narrow toll road entrance, wood panelled interiors and sprawling garden giving it a charm that has drawn visitors for centuries. Bram Stoker supposedly drew inspiration from it for Dracula, Keats and Byron both drank here, and on a summer afternoon with a pint in the garden and the Heath stretching out beyond, it remains one of the finest places to spend a few hours in the whole city.
A Grade I listed pub sitting right on the water's edge in Greenwich, the Trafalgar Tavern has been welcoming Londoners since 1837. Its Georgian bay windows frame sweeping views of the Thames, while inside, walls lined with naval paintings and maritime artefacts give the place an atmosphere that few London pubs can match. The menu leans into classic British cooking, and is especially delicious enjoyed outside on the cobbled terrace in the Summer.
Hidden in the ground floor of an art deco block of flats in St John's Wood, Oslo Court is one of London's most joyfully eccentric dining institutions. Serving generous French classics in a room of pink tablecloths, silver service and old world charm that hasn't changed since 1982. Order the Crepes Suzette for dessert and watch as the waiter flambés them at your table, a theatrical flourish that sums up everything wonderful about this gloriously unapologetic place.
Moored on the Regent's Canal in Paddington Basin, the Cheese Barge is exactly what it sounds like and all the better for it: a beautifully designed double decker vessel dedicated entirely to the very best of British and Irish cheese. The seasonal menu is genuinely inventive, from the curried cheese curds with chilli honey to a whole baked Baron Bigod, and on a sunny day the open top deck is one of the more unusual and enjoyable places to eat in London.
Claiming to be the oldest riverside pub in London, the Prospect of Whitby in Wapping has been drawing drinkers to the banks of the Thames since 1520, back when it was known as the Devil's Tavern and counted smugglers, pirates and the notorious Hanging Judge Jeffreys among its regulars. The original flagstone floor, rare pewter topped bar and a wooden gallows overlooking the river make it one of the most atmospheric pubs in the city, and the balcony views of the Thames are as good today as they were when Turner and Whistler came here to paint them.
Tucked inside the Grade II listed Battersea Power Station, Control Room B is one of the most visually striking bars in London, built around the building's original 1950s control desks, switch dials and switchgear racks, all meticulously restored and frozen in time. By day it's a relaxed spot for coffee and champagne overlooking the vast Turbine Hall; by night it transforms into an intimate cocktail bar with a menu of inventive, electricity themed drinks that match the extraordinary setting.
A Michelin Bib Gourmand holder just a short walk from Charing Cross, Bancone is one of London's finest pasta restaurants, with every strand and sheet made by hand on site each day. The long counter overlooking the open kitchen is the best seat in the house, and the signature silk handkerchiefs with walnut butter and confit egg yolk is the dish that keeps people coming back.
Tucked inside the Langham Hotel on Regent Street and set in a former banking hall with soaring ceilings, the Wigmore is a modern British pub with a distinctly luxurious edge, its menu overseen by Michel Roux Jr. The food elevates classic pub fare without losing sight of what makes it comforting in the first place, and the signature XXL stovetop three cheese and mustard toastie, made with Montgomery Cheddar, Ogleshield and Raclette and served under a cast iron bacon press, is one of the finest things you can eat in London for the price.
Dishoom's more relaxed, bar-forward sibling, Permit Room opened its first London outpost on Portobello Road in 2025, housed in the former Portobello Road Distillery. Named after the drinking dens that sprang up in Bombay after prohibition was lifted in the 1970s, it serves all-day Bombay-inspired small plates, smoky grills and Dishoom classics alongside inventive cocktails and resident DJs, with the walls covered in art and two boutique hotel rooms upstairs for those who want to make a proper night of it.
A buzzy NYC-style pizzeria, Alley Cats does one thing and does it brilliantly: big, crispy, foldable 14-inch New York pies with a light, crackly base that stands apart from the city's sea of Neapolitan spots. The gingham tablecloths, exposed concrete walls and open kitchen nail the borough vibe, and the vodka pizza, a riff on penne alla vodka, is the one to order.
This small taqueria on Stoke Newington High Street is widely considered the best place for tacos in London. The hand made flour tortillas set it apart from the city's corn dominant taco scene, and the slow cooked beef barbacoa, served simply with raw onion, coriander and a drizzle of salsa roja, is the one dish that keeps people queuing. Arrive early as popular fillings sell out and no reservations are taken.
Tucked into Queen's Yard in Hackney Wick, Howling Hops is home to the UK's first dedicated tank bar, where every pint is poured fresh and unfiltered straight from the gleaming steel vats behind the bar. The result is beer that tastes noticeably fresher and more flavourful than anything from a keg or can, and with new brews rotating weekly across a range of styles, it is one of the best places in London to drink craft beer at its source.
Founded by Ashley Chipchase as a lockdown pop-up and now permanently settled at Bow Wharf by Victoria Park, Mexican Seoul is a lively, award-winning Korean-Mexican taco bar with the energy of the best house party in East London. The fusion, which originates from California, works brilliantly here, with gochujang-glazed wings, beef bulgogi tacos and elote corn ribs dusted with pecorino and chilli all fighting for the title of best thing on the menu. The wings have won 15 awards at Wing Fest, and one bite in you'll understand why.
