The London pubs we drink in
The London pubs the Vivi editors drink in: properly British, not tourist set dressing. The French House, the Seven Stars, the Cow, the Holly Bush and more.
A London pub is either a working piece of civic infrastructure or a bit of tourist set-dressing. The good news is that the infrastructure ones are still there, if you know where.
Central
- The French House, Soho - halves only, no phones, no TV.
- The Seven Stars, Holborn - behind the Royal Courts of Justice, presided over by cats.
- The Coach and Horses, Soho - the Private Eye local, still.
East
- The Gun, Docklands - the Thames on your right, a proper pint.
- The Owl and the Pussycat, Shoreditch - neighbourhood regular, Sunday roast excellent.
North
- The Holly Bush, Hampstead - the best back room in N3. Go in winter.
- The Pineapple, Kentish Town - a proper neighbourhood pub.
West
- The Cow, Notting Hill - the Tom Conran pub. Oysters and Guinness.
South
- The Anchor and Hope, Waterloo - pub at the front, restaurant at the back.
- The Prince of Greenwich, SE10 - quiet, warm, a long list of rums.
Rules
No mobile phone conversations. Buy a round. Tip the bar. If the pub has a cat, introduce yourself.
Nathaniel Ashford
Senior contributing editor
Nathaniel Ashford writes about bars, cocktails, pubs and the London neighbourhoods that hold them together. A former drinks-trade journalist, he now contributes a weekly cocktail column for Vivi and leads the Vivi Neighbourhoods series.
He knows more about vermouth than is strictly respectable. Based in Fitzrovia; generally found two doors down from wherever he is supposed to be.