20 London pubs with great food

Best London pubs

The Hero, Maida Vale

The Public House Group has made a real name for itself on the UK pub scene in recent years, with The Bull at Charlbury drawing Londoners to the Cotswolds and smart punters consistently spilling out of the The Pelican in Notting Hill (see below). The team’s third venture down the road in leafy Maida Vale comes with their trademark buzzy crowds and stunning interior design, breathing new life into a four-storey Victorian building (previously The Hero of Maida and The Truscott Arms). It’s pub chic at its most striking – elegant olive-green banquettes cling to brushed plaster walls, ceramic wall lights cast a warm glow and large windows pull back to provide ledges for punters to congregate outside. The zinc-topped bar is a beauty, with a cabinet of pickle jars, oil paintings and bottles of liquor behind and a list of cask ales chalked up on the board. There’s also a strong wine list and a selection of classic cocktails. On the food menu, hearty pub classics are elevated. Golden battered monkfish cheeks are dipped into a curry-laced aioli, lamb ribs are coated in treacly sweet and sour sauce and molten cheese and onion pie is encased in the crispiest of shortcrust pastry. Sticky toffee pudding has a caramelised outer shell with a quenelle of ice cream to boot. theherow9.com

The Cavendish, Marylebone

Tucked away on a semi-residential street in Marylebone, the Cavendish is a little oasis of calm just a few blocks back from the buzz of Oxford Street. Downstairs, there’s an airy, high-ceilinged pub with outside pavement seating for sunnier days, and upstairs is a more grown-up dining space with smart blue-velvet banquettes, wood panelling and brass fittings.

This is not your standard pub grub: the menu from ex-Oyster Shed chef Laura de Fillipis is full of surprising and inventive small plates, like delicate crunchy pan puri filled with smoked mackerel and mussels, or a starter of jellied beetroot cannelloni stuffed with goat’s cheese and served with a walnut gremolata. Larger dishes, like king prawn tortellini served in a tomato prawn bisque with nori crisps, show there is a real love of fish cookery here. Service is warm, friendly and chatty, and the dog-friendly vibe extends to a canine dining menu, so your furry pal can enjoy a meal, too. Order an ice-cold pint of crisp Cornish Harbour IPA served in a frosted glass, or choose a summery watermelon and aloe vera spritz from the quirky cocktail menu. 35newcavendish.co.uk

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The Butcher’s Tap and Grill, Chelsea

A meat chamber filled with labelled cuts is the first sign that this is no ordinary boozer. The London outpost of Tom Kerridge’s pub joins the Marlow original in offering superior steaks and sauces: prime bone in ribeye with jalapeño mayo and truffle fries enjoyed in a leather booth feels right in this smart neighbourhood just three minutes from Sloane Square and shopper’s paradise King’s Road. True to its pub roots there are chops, burgers, kebabs and hot dogs, real ales and beer on tap, and sport on the TV screens. Tom has a knack for making everyone welcome, from locals popping by to collect a Friday night takeaway to destination diners and football fans catching the match over a pint or two. thebutcherstapandgrill.co.uk/chelsea

Walmer Castle, Notting Hill

Notting Hill’s Walmer Castle pub has had an excellent do-over by publican Jack Greenall (also of The Surprise in Chelsea). References to the area, pre-loved furniture and locally made fittings makes for the ideal décor for an area that includes Portobello Road. The ground floor is a proper pubby bar with a fire in the grate, art worth a closer look on the walls and a welcoming vibe. The menu gives you what you want from a modern pub including pork and fennel sausage rolls, braised ox cheek, halibut with smoked tomato and corn risotto, and a dry-aged beef burger. Vegetarian dishes such as celeriac schnitzel and gnocchi with hazelnut pesto are a cut above, and puddings include the crumble, and, of course, sticky toffee pudding. walmercastle-nottinghill.co.uk

Brooke, Clapham SW4

Brooke, a neighbourhood restaurant and bar, was opened by Eamonn Manson in late 2023 on Clapham’s Abbeville Road. From the same stable as Brook House and The Brown Cow (both Fulham), and The Sands End in south-west London, this new addition to the area is set to become a firm neighbourhood favourite. With comfy green banquettes, bookshelves and wood panels, the venue bills itself as a place for relaxed drinking and dining, and the interior lends itself to all weathers, both cosy and fresh and bright. Head chef Martyn Young’s daily changing menu gives the traditional pubby meals a modern twist with dishes such as Hispi cabbage with miso, black garlic and pickled walnuts; wild sea bass with lentil velouté and curry leaf potatoes; and buttermilk fried chicken with green chilli miso mayonnaise. Sunday sees the addition of two roasts to choose from and you should leave room for the clafoutis, made to order. brookeclapham.com

Parakeet, Kentish Town NW5

Being north Londoners and former Brat chefs, Ben Allen and Ed Jennings are the perfect pair to bring The Parakeet to Kentish Town. With dark interiors, stained glass windows and a warm glow cast over the intimate booths, there’s a church-like feel, which makes sense given the religious following from locals. With Ben at the helm as head chef, the menu is informed by the wood-fired oven and grill, and includes grilled lettuce and shrimp head butter, leeks with pecorino sauce, and smoked mushrooms with mackerel. theparakeetpub.com

The Holland, Earls Court W8

Having conquered the pop-up world with Oxalis, chef Max de Nahlik has now turned his attention to this refurbished pub near Holland Park. Sustainability is at the core of The Holland’s ethos and underlines every facet of this homely establishment, from décor using upcycled materials to the sourcing of ingredients. With a seasonal, British-ingredient-led menu, a carefully curated European wine list and a changing list of cask ales, The Holland aims to be both a friendly local and a culinary destination in its own right. Expect snacks and starters such as hot wings and pastrami-cured salmon, and mains such as roast wild duck with bramble sauce. thehollandkensington.co.uk

Harwood Arms, Fulham SW6

Harwood Arms head chef Sally Abé says it’s the attention to detail at every stage that makes the Sunday menu at this Michelin-starred pub so special. “We carefully source the best beef from Cumbria, use the best [Agria] potatoes for the crispiest roasties, really flavoursome carrots and a rich red wine gravy. The portions are generous and served sharing-style for everyone to dig in, and the relaxed dining room makes guests feel at home, which adds to the enjoyment of it all.”

Unusual cuts often turn up on the Sunday menu, so expect the likes of braised jowl of Tamworth pork with crushed turnip, roast apple and mustard, alongside the more traditional roast sirloin of 45-day-aged Shorthorn beef with yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese croquettes, horseradish cream, root vegetables, bone marrow gravy and greens. harwoodarms.com

The Guinea Grill, Mayfair W1

“Sunday lunch is a different dining occasion to any other – it’s convivial and there’s less pressure on time,” says charismatic landlord Oisín Rogers of The Guinea Grill in Mayfair’s upmarket Bruton Place. “It’s very easy to make a bad Sunday roast. It’s not that difficult to produce a good one but a brilliant one needs real skill and a huge amount of thought about how to deliver each component on time and in perfect condition.”

This means “big and well seasoned” yorkshires served straight from the oven, potatoes seasoned with ground rosemary and thyme, and gravy made from the stock and roasting juices of the meat. Must-order Sunday options include a chateaubriand for two with duck-fat roast potatoes, yorkshire pudding, honey-glazed carrots, baby parsnips and kale.

“We’re generous with gravy, roasties and veg. We don’t charge for seconds. Where people order steaks from the grill we serve it family-style, sliced for the table with all the Sunday trimmings. For the roast beef we use the rumps of the same brilliant grass-fed, dry-aged quarters that we use for our côte de boeuf, sirloin and T-bone. We sell racks of Welsh mountain lamb and free-range Blythburgh pork.”

Although The Guinea Grill is best known for its meat, Oisín admits that “our chef Nathan’s walnut, truffle and blue cheese gratin has had us many high fives on Sundays”. theguinea.co.uk

The Camberwell Arms, Camberwell SE5

A past winner of The Guardian’s 50 Best Sunday Lunches and the Observer Food Monthly Awards, Sunday lunch at The Camberwell Arms is a celebration of family-style eating with sharing main courses being the focal point.

Everything is made in-house, including the hot mint sauce with the spring lamb, garlic-braised potatoes, peas and spring onions, and the béarnaise accompanying the dry-aged Hereford onglet, roast potatoes and watercress.

As befits a kitchen run by a team that can trace its roots back to influential gastropubs such as The Eagle in Farringdon and the Anchor & Hope in Waterloo, head chef Michael Davies always serves family-size sharing dishes, whether it’s slow-roast salt marsh lamb with dauphinoise potatoes large enough for five people, or a whole spit roast herb-fed chicken with roast potatoes, salad and wholegrain mayonnaise for four. thecamberwellarms.co.uk

Blacklock, various locations

“Roasts almost as good as your mum’s” is the modest tagline at contemporary chophouse Blacklock, where a starter of pig’s head on toast with gravy might be followed by 55-day-aged beef rump, Cornish leg of lamb or Middle White pork loin cooked over coals with sides of swede and lardo or charred winter greens and chestnuts. All roasts are served with yorkshire puddings, duck-fat roast potatoes, a selection of seasonal vegetables and Blacklock gravy.

If there’s a group of you (eight to 10), order the ‘All In’ where everything’s piled onto a platter for the ultimate Sunday banquet. Either way, make sure you book well in advance as reservations for Sunday lunch tend to fill up two months beforehand. theblacklock.com

King's Head, Teddington, TW11

The King’s Head in Teddington is owned by The White Brasserie, where Raymond Blanc sits on the board with a mission to bring high-quality, locally-sourced home-cooked food back to British pubs. Based close to pretty riverside walks, the Kings Head is the perfect antidote to a hectic London weekend; inside you’ll find an open log fire, cosy snugs and a spacious brasserie as well as a generous garden room and a hidden courtyard perfect for summer nights.

The Sunday roasts use meat from award winning butcher Aubrey Allen, the grass-fed British beef is beautifully tender and flavoursome, it’s also served with bottomless crispy roast potatoes and gravy. Other must-try dishes are the outdoor-reared applewood smoked pork ribeye and the chalk-stream trout with watercress and toasted almonds. thekingshead.com

The Pig’s Head, Clapham SW4

The Pig’s Head in Clapham Old Town is the second coming of the much-loved The Pig and Butcher in Islington. Like its predecessor, it dishes up meat sourced directly from some of the best farms in the UK and butchered on site.

Sustainability is the key driver of this 40-cover gastropub, from its décor of secondhand furniture to using 100% sustainable electricity and cleaning with fully biodegradable chemicals. Even the daily changing seasonal menu is reflective of the pub’s ethos, from classics including scotch eggs and playful dishes such as the crispy pig’s head, all the way through to mains that showcase the talent of the kitchen.

But vegetarians need not fret. There are some truly divine vegetarian and vegan dishes available, which staff are more than happy to talk you through while you enjoy a glass of wine or two from the double-sided wine list (one side of which is exclusively dedicated to British wines). thepigshead.com

Ganymede, South Kensington SW1

From the team behind South Kensington’s The Hunter’s Moon, Ganymede in Belgravia serves a menu of elevated British dishes including rabbit and pistachio terrine, suckling pork belly with parsnip purée, and apricot and hazelnut tart. ganymedelondon.co.uk

Check out Ganymede’s recipe for white chocolate crème brûlée.

The Coach Makers Arms, Marylebone W1

Chef and cookbook writer Ben Tish – formerly of critically acclaimed Sicilian-Moorish influenced London restaurant Norma – now celebrates classic British pub food at Marylebone’s Victorian pub, The Coach Makers Arms. It’s part of the Cubitt House group of pubs and restaurants, of which Ben is now chef director. cubitthouse.co.uk

Try The Coach Maker Arms’ recipe for roasted cod, brown shrimp and parsley sauce.

Mondo Sando at The White Horse, Peckham SE15

Toasted sandwiches are expected on a pub menu but a Mondo Sando sarnie is miles away from a ploughman’s. What started as a lockdown business is now a residency at Peckham’s The White Horse, and best mates Jack Macrae and Viggo Blegvad’s supremely stuffed subs are all hit and no miss – particularly the Thai-inspired larb, Actually. The vegan heavy hitter is an aromatic mix of soy mince, curry paste, zippy lime dressing, umami-rich black bean mayo, plus crispy shallots and toasted, ground Thai rice for texture.

“Larb is basically our favourite food at Mondo Towers – shout-out to The Heron off Edgware Road for its blow-your-head-off version. It’s the perfect dish to veganise, because the meat is often the subtlest flavour – it’s so full of fresh herbs, spices and chilli.” whitehorsepeckham.co.uk

Check out The White Horse’s recipe for larb sandos.

Ling Ling’s at The Gun, Hackney E9

There are many East London boozers, but The Gun has the edge on the food thanks to Ling Ling’s, which wows punters with an eclectic take on Chinese food. These mushrooms are representative of chef Jenny Phung’s heritage and memories of holidays in Turkey: “I wanted to make a vegan hummus and meat platter, so I used mushrooms and doubanjiang to make it Asian. I’ve converted many non-mushroom-eaters with this.” thegunwellstreet.com

Try Ling Ling’s recipe for doubanjiang mushrooms.

The Tamil Prince, Barnsbury N1

Curries and beer are pretty much synonymous, so newly opened The Tamil Prince – a relaxed pub from chef Prince Durairaj and Glen Leeson serving South Indian cuisine in the north London neighbourhood of Barnsbury – is the spice and hops mash-up of dreams.

The menu, created by Prince, former chef at Roti King, is a mixture of small and large plates served with sides, and the chicken lollipops are a particular hit. “The lollipops have become a firm favourite, both with diners and hungry drinkers. Spicy, masala-style dishes have long been paired with alcohol, especially with beer. Tasty and easy to eat, the lollipops are the perfect addition to an afternoon pub-side.” thetamilprince.com

Check out The Tamil Prince’s recipe for spicy chicken lollipops.

The Earl of Derby, Telegraph Hill SE14

Saved by the owners of sister pubs The White Horse (Peckham) and Grove House Tavern (Camberwell) from becoming a block of flats, The Earl of Derby is now a bustling community pub with a buzzing atmosphere.

The pub is home to Gengelly's, or chefs George Genn and Laurence Pengelly. On weekdays, they serve a minimal menu of hearty fare – pies with rich, quality fillings, skin-on homemade chips and warming, comforting vegan or vegetarian mains. Weekends are more extensive, with small plates and puddings and a roast on Sundays.

With regular quizzes, DJs (or just the old-school jukebox) and a changing selection of local ales, the ambiance is fun and friendly. It's a neighbourhood pub that’s worth a journey. earlofderby.uk

The Princess Royal, Notting Hill W2

Pub puds usually go one of three ways: heavy sticky toffee pud, predictable apple crumble or slightly dry chocolate brownie. Ben Tish’s herbaceous bake, fresh with lemon, and light thanks to ground almonds and cornmeal, is a comforting way to finish a meal without feeling like you’ve overdone it.

“It’s the lemons that make it special,” says Ben. “Buy the best you can afford, ideally ones from Amalfi or Sicily. They give pure Mediterranean flavour and aroma.” cubitthouse.co.uk

Plaquemine Lock, Angel N1

Not content with his offering of Italian flavours from Bocca Di Lupo in London’s Soho, restaurateur Jacob Kenedy added Plaquemine Lock to his repertoire in 2017 – an English pub with some of the best Deep South cooking in London.

Keeping locals happy, head chef Tom Clements creates a Louisiana welcome with Cajun cracklins, sugar beignet bacon sandwiches and smoked duck jambalaya with live jazz and classic cocktails to wash it all down. plaqlock.com

Try Plaquemine Lock’s recipes for blackened chicken with beans and rice, shrimp maque choux, beignets and Miss Ginny cocktail.

The Baring, Islington N1

Chef Rob Tecwyn and manager Adam Symonds met while working at gastro pub The Bull and Last. The Baring, a newly refurbished (and renamed) pub, is their first venture together. The menu is strongly seasonal, using well-sourced ingredients presented simply with great big punches of flavour.

It includes classic mains such as pork loin with greens and desserts like financier with seasonal fruits, as well as a Sunday roast. Dishes like quail shish and lamb rump with kofte are refined twists. Cocktails are seasonal, using the same flavourings as the desserts so nothing goes to waste. thebaring.co.uk

Try The Baring’s recipe for financiers with poached plums and pumpkin gnudi.

The Pelican, Notting Hill W11

The Pelican has been part of the community of Notting Hill since 1872 – and this busy pub is at its pinnacle right now. Chef Owen Kenworthy’s menu is all that’s good about modern British cooking, showing a clear respect for suppliers who produce the best ingredients using regenerative farming methods.

In addition to the recipes featured here, recommendations include raw beef with gentleman’s relish, lobster and monkfish pie, and ginger parkin and custard. And amazing chips. thepelicanw11.com

Try The Pelican’s recipe for mince on toast and turkey, leek and bacon pie.