Sorry Oxford, Sheffield and Edinburgh fans, but sheer weight of numbers means it’s ridiculous to argue otherwise.
The capital has a population of around nine million, and is made up of 32 boroughs (and the City of London). So, with a population somewhere upwards of 250k, each borough dwarfs Oxford. Sorry to pick on you Oxford, but you were recently referenced in the excellent Moon Under Water podcast (with landlord John Robins and pub regular Robin Allender) as one of the best pub cities (and I’m sure you are very good).
Of course, size and population isn’t necessarily an indicator of the number of pubs, let alone the number of great pubs.
But London has the quantity and the quality, from historical taverns to the growing number of craft beer taprooms, and from a shrinking collection of Wetherspoons to venue/theatre/pub hybrids.
Here we pick out some of our favourites in just two of the boroughs - Camden and Islington (joint population around 500k, roughly the size of Edinburgh).
The north London boroughs have a rich cultural history - and music, theatre and sport all feature here.
But so does good beer and good company.
So cheers! And do let us know your favourite.
The capital has a population of around nine million, and is made up of 32 boroughs (and the City of London). So, with a population somewhere upwards of 250k, each borough dwarfs Oxford. Sorry to pick on you Oxford, but you were recently referenced in the excellent Moon Under Water podcast (with landlord John Robins and pub regular Robin Allender) as one of the best pub cities (and I’m sure you are very good).
5. Old Red Lion, St John Street, Islington
Another classic Islington theatre pub is the Old Red Lion in St John Street. The pub dates back at least as far as 1415, when the ‘Redde Lyon’ stood on the site in Angel. It has seen rebuilds over the 600+ years and what stands there now is a melting pot of pub types. While it it home to a theatre, it is also a sports pub with a projection screen and several other televisions. Although it is popular with Arsenal fans, it’s a good place to watch any team (even for this Spurs fan) and has an unlikely affiliation with Norwich City - the Canaries’ green and yellow festooning the walls. Even the beer garden has a screen, but it’s not just about sport. It can be a lively place to drink with a real mix of punters.
6. The Southampton Arms, Highgate Road, Camden
The Southampton Arms in Gospel Oak, between Kentish Town and Highgate, has everything you want from a pub for a sociable pint with friends. “Ale, cider, meat,” the website proclaims, adding: “We don’t have a phone and we don’t take bookings, reserve seats, tables, areas or any of that caper.” (It does has a phone number only for real emergencies (”You have noticed flames emitting from the building...You have noticed a baboon ransacking the pub.”)) It sells beer and cider exclusively from small, independent UK breweries, it closes “around 11 or 12”, and it is “now taking cash AND card”. That’s all my questions answered.
7. Hope & Anchor, Upper Street, Islington
The final Islington theatre pub we’re featuring (there are other great ones) is actually better known as a live music venue. The Hope and Anchor in Upper Street was one of the key venues during the punk movement of the late ‘70s, with acts including the Stranglers and The Damned taking to the stage. But the venue has since hosted acts including Joy Division, U2, Dire Straits, The Specials and Eurythmics. The gig venue is downstairs and the theatre is upstairs, with the bar at street level serving as a cultural meeting point.