I admit I have my favorite London pubs. It’s not because they know me there, or
because women flock when they see me grin and pull out my wallet. I come to London often, but not that
often. But, I do have a pattern, which
sometimes appears to be more like a tangled web. Have faith. Read on and follow my lead to the
jocular sport of tipping a few in some fabulous locations.
And, by the way, if I mention a specific beer, it’s because
I truly enjoyed it! Along the way,
you’ll see links to previous blogs I’ve written about specific pubs, which you
have no doubt neglected to read for far, far too long. Buck up, Buttercup!
I always go to The
Hereford Arms for my first pint.
Comfortable. Old enough to seem
proper, but not so new as to shine like freshly polished brass. Lots of old, dark wood inside. An eclectic and cheerful crowd that sways
from old to young by the hour.
Besides, it’s the first pub I took my parents to. Their memories sparkle when I open the door.
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| Hereford Arms |
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| Hereford Arms |
The Hereford Arms
(Gloucester Road Tube) is a Fuller’s pub, meaning the brewery owns at least a
part of it. Fuller’s owns several hundreds across the U.K. In a Fuller’s house, I lean toward their best
seller London Pride. But, no need to limit yourself. Other Fuller’s choices, Front Row and Spring Sprinter
tantalize the palate as well. All are
4.5% alcohol or less. All are brewed in
the time-old English method of top fermentation. Great flavor.
Little fizz. Little to
non-existent head. Quite a different beverage
from their continental or American cousins.
Need something to nosh while you guzzle?
The Hereford Arms cheese platter is superb.
By the way, if Brit beer really interests you (and by that I
mean if you walk upright), while in London try taking a tour of Fuller’s Brewery:
Besides being low in alcohol, Brit beers are generally
smooth as a slide into paradise. I’ll
leave the definition of paradise up to you. The only thing that’ll stop you
from having that fourth pint is the size of your stomach.
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| Queens Arms |
About a twenty minute walk from The Hereford Arms is The Queens Arms. Two things to
remember about the Queens Arms: Sharps Doom Bar beer, my favorite, and
superb pub food, from meaty burgers to exotic roasts and steaks.
Suppose I want to wander farther afield? How do I mine for pubs unknown? Simple.
I use the book, FancyaPint
(Amazon), which lists pubs and their location around each Tube Station. Maps included. Also rates pubs from one to five pints, but
I’ve found the ratings somewhat misleading, having truly enjoyed several pubs rated
only two pints.
Part of my pattern is to also grab a tube map and pick a
tube stop where I don’t know the pubs at all.
This time I picked Holborn. The
Ship Tavern hasn’t joined the favorites list yet, but it may. The nearby, Princess Louise is a Victorian pub, reeking
with atmosphere. Lots of cut glass room dividers, and even more dark, carved
wood. It’s a Smith Brewery pub.
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| Ships Tavern |
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| Ships Tavern |
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| Ships Tavern |
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| Princess Louise |
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| Princess Louise |
Two more pubs I have to mention: The
Lamb and Flag (Leicester Square), and The
Old Bank of England (Temple).
According to The Survey of London, The Lamb and Flag is first mentioned as The Cooper’s Arms in
1772, and was renamed in 1883. It’s sometimes called The Bucket of Blood because of the bare-knuckle fights that used
take place there. Now days, tourists
join locals to keep the place crowded, especially in the evenings, and I
haven’t noticed any bare-knuckle brawls, or even loud and angry words.
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| Lamb and Flag |
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| Bank of England Pub |
The Old Bank of
England pub, as you would guess, was once a branch of The Bank of England,
serving the Royal Courts of Justice, just next door. It’s a Fullers pub and absolutely spectacular,
replete with soaring ceiling, a balustrade that overlooks the bar, and huge,
ornate windows. A must visit, even if
you just want a glass of water.
Almost next door to Twinning’s
Tea Shop and across the street from The
Old Bank of England is The George. You’ll recognize it immediately. Old, almost black half-timbered façade. Lengthy bar and a great selection of brews.
And, if you’re in Notting Hill, you must visit The Churchill Arms. It’s said the Churchill family began to come
here a few hundred years ago, and Sir Winston himself visited on occasion. It’s another Fuller’s pub and I enjoyed a
Chiswick Ale (3.5%).
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| Churchill Arms |
The Uxbridge Arms is
small pub near Notting Hill Gate. A very
traditional local. It’s here we had an
interesting conversation with the female barkeep and an older gentleman. Between them, they knew of “sailing ships and
sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.”
(Tribute (4.2%) and Sussex Best Bitter (4%)).
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| Uxbridge Arms |
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| Uxbridge Arms |
Near The Uxbridge Arms is The Windsor Castle, a unique spot, with tiny rooms, separated by door that appear to be made for people four feet tall. Bend down, keep going. It's worth it!
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| Windsor Castle Pub |
In a week’s stay, I usually hit from twenty to over thirty
pubs. That’s right. Four to five pubs a day, and sometimes
more. A few years back, my companion and
I set a goal of 50 pubs in five days. We
managed over 30, which I do not recommend, and not only because of the
possibility of cirrhosis. After a madcap
race or two, downing pints and sprinting to the next watering hole, I’ve
learned to take my time, enjoy my pint, and the atmosphere, and chatting with
locals. Far more rewarding, and what’s
the rush anyway? London’s not going
anywhere and you can bet your last Pence I’ll be back to slack my thirst.
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| Queens Arms |
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