The pub capital of the world: Exploring London’s seven rare pub finds

London really is a city that’s packed full of surprises, and this certainly applies when it’s time to let your hair down and enjoy a drink or two in characterful surroundings. 

With around 40 pubs to every 100,000 residents, totaling 4,314 throughout the city and Greater London area, there’s plenty of choice whether you’re a local looking for a new experience or are simply looking for a great spot on a visit to the pub capital of the world. 

There’s truly something for everyone when it comes to London’s vibrant public houses. From detective agency-themed speakeasies to some of the capital’s most storied and ancient dwellings. 

As the pub capital of the world, London is also the home to some of the world’s most exciting pub crawls. With the famous Monopoly pub crawl, which involves drinking at the 26 pubs associated with each location on the city’s Monopoly board, leading the way, there’s plenty of the city to discover on foot. 

In fact, London is best enjoyed while walking through the city’s iconic streets, with every step you take sending you further back in time through its sprawling Victorian landscapes and a rich history just waiting to be discovered. 

With so much to explore in the UK capital by foot, you should get a free walking tour of London by GuruWalk, enabling you to fully embrace the sights and sounds of a city that truly never sleeps. With GuruWalk offering tours that can take you to see Big Ben, St. Paul’s, Buckingham Palace, and everything in between, you may find yourself needing a quick pit stop in an iconic pub for some respite.

Let’s take a deeper look at seven of the UK capital’s rare pub finds and explore why they deserve a stop-off on your next trip to London: 

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street

The best pubs always have a strong backstory behind them, and situated in the midst of London’s old media hub in Fleet Street, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese would’ve once been teeming with the nation’s greatest literary minds against the backdrop of rumbling newspaper printing machines in years gone by. 

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese outlived the capital’s printing presses and has survived for over 350 years after being rebuilt after the Great Fire of London in 1666. 

The pub itself is brimming with character. Its mazy interior and wooden interiors make visitors to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese feel as though they’ve been transported into London’s rich literary past. With the walls adorned with portraits of its most famous visitors like Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, G K Chesterton, and Dr. Samuel Johnson, you’ll feel like you’re drinking in esteemed company. 

Audley Public House, Mayfair

Uniting modern and retro, the Audley Public House has undergone a creative restoration that’s managed to recapture the essence of this 19th Century pub alongside a more vibrant and contemporary feel. 

This means that you can enjoy the archetypical London watering hole feel of wooden panels and traditional booths alongside specially commissioned artworks and a colourful ceiling design that’s in keeping with the 21st Century capital. 

What’s more, is that the Audley Public House features a more traditional neighbourhood pub feel, and this means that visitors can enjoy plenty of both classy and classic English dishes like London rarebit, coronation crab on toast, and warmed sausage roll. 

Evans & Peel Detective Agency, Earl’s Court

Now for something completely different. The Evans & Peel Detective Agency is a particularly discreet London speakeasy that appears to have jumped straight out of a 1920s private eye novel. 

Pints and cocktails are both available amid the vintage, darkened interiors of Evans & Peel, and you’ll undoubtedly have an unforgettable experience spending an evening in such a secretive setting just a stone’s throw from Earl’s Court station. 

The Thirsty Bear, Lambeth

Nestled a little south of the River Thames near Waterloo station, The Thirsty Bear is a pub with a difference. 

Audience participation isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s something extremely compelling about The Thirsty Bear’s unique selling point, which is its beer taps, which run directly to the tables for visitors to pour their own pints. 

While the notion of DIY pint-pulling could be a scary thought for some, the taps, which operate a little like petrol pumps when it comes to pricing, make for a great group experience if you have a couple of hours to kill. 

Although The Thirsty Bear is situated in a fairly quiet street away from the hustle and bustle of the South Bank, it can get a little busy during sporting events due to its big screens upstairs, so be sure to time your visit well if you’re looking for a peaceful self-poured beer. 

The Blackfriar, Blackfriars

It’s impossible to leave out one of London’s most iconic pubs from this list. The Blackfriar is a Grade II listed building positioned in the heart of the city.

Built in 1875 on the site of a former medieval Dominican friary, the pub’s narrow, wedge-shaped structure might be easy to miss were it not for the grinning sculpture of a monk standing above its entrance. 

Inside, The Blackfriar looks as much like a monastery as it does a pub, adding to the charm of its unique heritage. Just be sure to visit at a quiet time, because the building’s iconic flat-iron structure can make things seem a little snug during busy periods. 

The Devonshire, Soho

Located in Soho, the heart of London’s swinging sixties heyday, The Devonshire offers a classic experience for visitors seeking the best traditional pub food in town and an atmosphere to match. 

Wood panels and brass aplenty, The Devonshire has the appearance of a vintage London pub, and equipped with its own butchery and bakery, you’ll be hard-pushed to find a public house with fresher food on offer. 

In the evenings, The Devonshire complements the vibrant Soho surroundings with live music, while a hearty array of cosy booths means that you can enjoy that added sense of privacy when out on the town among friends. 

WC, Clapham

Who knew that an old Victorian toilet could provide one of the most enjoyable experiences among London’s best pubs? The WC, situated to the south of the city in the up-and-coming Clapham area, offers just that. 

Situated underneath Clapham Common Underground station, WC has been lovingly converted from a lavatory into a classy city watering hole. With its original mosaic flooring and tiled walls painstakingly restored to their former glory, this pub is certainly one of London’s hidden gems. 

Don’t be fooled by its former life; WC Clapham offers a charming bar experience in a surprisingly romantic ambience. Here, its wine and cheese pairings are a particular draw for visitors. 

The perfect london pub experience

The beauty of London is that the city means something different to everyone who visits. This is reflected in the city’s bar life, and the seven pubs listed here showcase the traditional, weird, and wonderful public houses that the capital has to offer. 

The pub capital of the world doesn’t disappoint when it comes to catering for everyone, and you’re guaranteed to find an experience that you love in London. By exploring the options above, you can get a taste of what the city really has to offer away from the beaten track.

 

The editorial unit