Phil's World Pub Guides - Greater London, UK

Pub Comments Location
BETHNAL GREEN
The Approach Inn A rather nice traditional interior with dark wood panelling and a high ceiling. There is also a large ugly conservatory extension at the front. The Fullers range plus a guest are on hand pump. The food is reputed to be good. There's an art gallery upstairs!
Last visited March 2004.
Approach Road / Robinson Road
The Pride of Spitalfields Five real ales are available in this plain traditional back-street boozer. Friendly staff, drinkers and pub cat.
Last visited June 2008.
Heneage Street / Brick Lane
BRENTFORD
Waterman's Arms A small friendly one bar local, serving Greene King ales and good food. The menu features English and Japanese dishes, and the unpronouncable dish I chose was very nice.
Last visited July 2007.
Ferry Lane
CENTRAL LONDON
  A typical bar in the airport terminal style, with prices to match. Worthington Smoothflow on tap. Now closed as Eurostar have moved to St Pancras.
Last visited November 2002.
Waterloo International Station, after passport control
Betjemen Arms When I visited Saint Pancras Station just after its refurbishment was completed in late 2007 I complained that while it boasted the longest champagne bar in the world, there was no real ale. I am pleased to report that this omission has been rectified by the opening of the Betjemen Arms, a large pub with pleasantly understated modern decor including the inevitable bare pipes and ducts above, and a nice wooden floor. My pint of London Pride was served in a now uncommon "dimple", presumably as part of the British Pub Experience. The menu looks good but it's certainly not cheap.
Last visited June 2008.
St. Pancras Station
Bree Louise What a find! One fairly plain but well cared for open room in this corner house in a back street close to Euston station. Five real ales on hand pump and another five served by gravity. The Acrow prop holding up the ceiling was a bit worrying! The food is good, I had a very nice pie. When I visited it was 50p off a pint and £3 off a pie for CAMRA members, so take your card.
Last visited June 2008.
Coburg Street
Coopers This pleasant basement bar on the station concourse serves a fine pint of Bass along with a number of other hand-pulled ales. Nice and peaceful at 10.30 in the morning; wedged and lively during a world cup footie match.
Last visited February 2005.
Waterloo Station
Counting House This member of the Fuller's Ale and Pie chain serves the full Fullers range on hand pump in an extremely impressive interior with mosaic floor, marble and dark wood panelled walls, plasterwork ceiling and a large domed lantern. There's also a fine mural on the wall at the front.
Last visited January 2008.
Cornhill
Devereux Five real ales are available in one large l-shaped room which has some nice booths with glass partitions. There's also a dining room upstairs, I think.
Last visited January 2008.
Devereux Court, off Fleet Street
Doric Arch Formerly the Head of Steam, and the excellent real ale continues under the new owners:
About ten handpumps serve an impressive range of real ales in this splendid pub hidden in the first floor of an office block by Euston Station. The decor includes lots of railway signs of course.
Last visited November 2007.
1 Eversholt Street
Duke Of York A plain busy station bar serving a fine pint of London Pride.
Last visited November 2007.
Platform 8, King's Cross Station
Edgar Wallace About eight real ales on sale in this very pleasant two-storey pub, decorated with dark wood panelling. Don't panic when you go in and see only lager, the hand pumps are just behind the pillar! The food looks good.
Last visited June 2008.
Essex Street off The Strand
Euston Flyer This Fuller's house has rather good traditional decor, perhaps a little plastic. A full range of Fuller's ales is available on hand pump, along with draught Hoegaarden. The food is pretty good, I had Bangers and Mash. The time bell is located in the middle of the pub, worked from behind the bar by a rope and pulley system.
Last visited June 2002.
83 Euston Road, opposite the new British Library
Founder's Arms A very busy modern plastic pub/restaurant serving Young's beers on hand pump. The patio overlooks the Thames. The food looks good.
Last visited June 2002.
South Bank, by the Tate Modern
Mabel's Tavern This pleasant friendly local is a Shepherd Neame house and serves all of their brews. Conveniently located just across Euston Road from St Pancras Station.
Last visited September 2007.
Mabeldon Road
Mad Bishop and Bear A rather fine Fuller's house located upstairs in Paddington Station. A full range of their own brews plus guests are served in this nicely decorated pub which features ceiling plasterwork, some wood panelling, cut glass mirrors and a tiled and wood floor. I think it's all fake, but very nice nonetheless.
Last visited July 2007.
Paddington Station
Railway Tavern Nice traditional decor and excellent ale in this popular pub conveniently located by the main entrance to Liverpool Street Station.
Last visited April 2006.
Liverpool Street, directly opposite the station
Red Lion A tiny achitectural gem, this one. The beautiful two-room interior has cut glass mirrors, a stained glass partition, and some dark woodwork. Five excellent real ales on pump, and the food looks good.
Last visited November 2007.
Duke of York Street, Piccadilly
Southerner This New Zealand bar serves the full range of Speights Brewery beers in one rather ordinary basement room. It didn't seem particularly New Zealand-like to me when I visited on a quiet Monday lunchtime.
Last visited June 2008.
Essex Street / The Strand
CROYDON
Old Fox and Hounds Rather nice antique decor with wooden walls and floor. Hand pulled ales included Greene King Abbot and IPA, and Old Speckled Hen when I visited. Pool tables upstairs.
Last visited June 2002.
1 London Road, opposite West Croydon station
HACKNEY
Chesham Arms A nice traditional local serving two real ales. The Sunday lunch looks good.
Last visited June 2008.
Isabella Road / Mehetabel Road
The Globe in Morning Lane One long narrow room, filled with older people enjoying the rather good jazz band when I visited on a Sunday afternoon. A couple of real ales available, I had a fine pint of Youngs.
Last visited June 2008.
Morning Lane
Pembury Tavern Hidden behind a rather unassuming exterior is this wonderful purveyor of real ale and good food. The beer festivals are well worth a visit (or two), and it's a worthwhile destination at other times as well. They even do home-made pork scratchings!
Last visited June 2008.
Amhurst Road / Dalston Lane
Old Ship I'm told this used to be a rather scruffy pub, but it's now been very nicely refurbished with very up-market decor. Three real ales were on when I visited, and the food looked very good. Check out the TV in a mirror!
Last visited June 2008.
Sylvester Path
HAMPSTEAD
Railway Four real ales and an impresive array of imported draft beers including Hoegaarden Grand Cru in this pleasant traditionally decorated pub, knocked through into one large open room. The menu, rather up-market, looks good. Sit on a bed if you like!
Last visited January 2008.
West End Lane, by West Hampstead tube.
HARROW
Castle A rather impressive early 1900s interior which, I'm told, is mostly genuine and untouched. There is one bar counter in a large room which is divided by a wood and leaded glass screen, plus three more side rooms. Fine real ale, and the food looks good.
Last visited June 2008.
West Street, Harrow-on-the-Hill
HEATHROW AIRPORT
O'Neills A standard plastic Paddy airport bar. The food looks good.
Last visited December 2007.
Terminal 3, Airside
Shakespear Ale House The fake antique decor is very well done in this member of a chain of airport pubs. They serve an excellent pint of hand-pulled Bass.
Last visited December 2001.
Terminal 3, Airside
HENDON
Greyhound Real ale from Youngs in this nicely decorated multi-roomed pub. Quiet on a Monday afternoon.
Last visited June 2008.
Church End
HIGHGATE
Flask An excellent ancient-looking multi-room multi-level interior with dark wood panelling and floor boards. Plenty more space on the terrace out front. Food looks good and the ale is excellent. Very busy with diners late Sunday afternoon.
Last visited June 2008.
West Hill
Gatehouse Usual Wetherspoon's fare in this large pub with antique-style decor including booths with wood and glass partitions. How much is genuine? None, I suspect, but it looks very nice.
Last visited June 2008.
North Road
KENTISH TOWN
Junction Tavern Four real ales on tap in this splendid two sided pub with dark wood panelling and plasterwork ceiling. There's also a large conservatory and beer garden, both full of diners when I visited on a Sunday afternoon. CAMRA North London Branch's Pub Of The Year 2008.
Last visited June 2008.
Fortress Road
NEW CROSS
Hobgoblin A rather scruffy pub with a large knocked through main room surrounding the counter, plus a smokers' patio. I had an excellent pint of Wychwood Hobgoblin when I visited on a very quiet Monday lunchtime. Two other real ales were also on offer.
Last visited November 2007.
New Cross Road / St James's. Opposite New Cross Gate station.
WAPPING
Prospect of Whitby This pub clains to be oldest riverside pub in London, dating from 1520. Inside is a large stone-floored main bar with antique decor, the rear windows offering a view across the Thames of a rolling bascule bridge on the other shore. There are other rooms behind and upstairs, plus a terrace overlooking the river. Five or more real ales are available - I had a fine pint of London Pride.
Last visited November 2007.
Wapping Hight Street / Garnet Street

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