The pub, short for public house, is much more than a bar: it is Britain's living room, where friends meet after work, watch the match, have Sunday lunch and chat with strangers. London still has more than three thousand, some with centuries of history, and its nightlife is among the most varied in Europe.
Historic pubs
- Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street: rebuilt straight after the Great Fire of 1666, with dark rooms and cellars, frequented by Samuel Johnson and Charles Dickens.
- The George Inn, Southwark: the last galleried coaching inn left in London, now owned by the National Trust.
- The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping: on the Thames, one of the city's oldest riverside pubs.
- The Mayflower, Rotherhithe: near the spot from which the Pilgrim Fathers' ship sailed in 1620.
- The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden, and The Churchill Arms, Kensington, covered in flowers in every season.
- Victorian pubs with mirrors, carved wood and decorated ceilings, such as The Princess Louise in Holborn.
How the pub works
In a pub you order and pay at the bar, not at tables (except for food in gastropubs). Beer is served by the pint (568 ml) or half pint. Traditional beers are real ales, hand-pulled from a pump and served at cellar temperature with little fizz; alongside are lagers, stouts such as Guinness, cider and today countless craft beers. In the past pubs closed at 11pm with the bell for last orders; today many stay open later, especially at weekends. Children can enter many pubs with an adult during the day, but you must be 18 to drink alcohol.
Nightlife
- Soho: the heart of London's night, with bars, cocktail bars, jazz clubs such as the legendary Ronnie Scott's, and the LGBTQ+ scene of Old Compton Street.
- Shoreditch, Hoxton and Dalston: alternative venues, clubs, rooftop bars and nights until dawn.
- Camden: live music in historic venues, from rock to indie.
- Brixton and Peckham: music, clubs and rooftop bars in south London.
- Mayfair and Chelsea: the most exclusive venues and luxury hotel bars.
- Concerts: from big arenas such as the O2 and Wembley to historic halls such as the Royal Albert Hall, the Roundhouse, the Hammersmith Apollo and the O2 Academy Brixton.
Tips
A pint costs more than £5 on average nationally and in London often £6-8, with peaks over £10 in the most central venues. Many clubs charge entry and have a dress code; ID checks at the door are common, so carry your passport. The Tube runs all night on Fridays and Saturdays on some lines (the Night Tube), and night buses cover the whole city. See also where to eat, theatres and musicals, British pubs and the London guide.