unusual/interesting pubs to visit in London

[Scottishthreeberry16]

Staying near Notting Hill next week for a long weekend but prepared to travel to interesting/quirky pubs.

Any suggestions?

Wow! Thank you so much for all the suggestions! Will definitely try out some of these.

And, to the pp who said they know how to get a free drink? Erm, how?

Evans and peel detective agency - underground speakeasy in Earls court. Beer comes out of a radiator tap!

George Tavern mentioned above is great - go mid afternoon if a sunny day and sit in the courtyard. Also lots of food across the way at the eateries around Borough market.

Yes... I was going to suggest Gordon's too

The Grapes at Limehouse. Has a terrace onto the river. Frequented by Dickens, owned by Gandalf.

Another vote for this one. Though I've never seen Ian McKellan in there, he apparently does own it. You can walk 0.5 miles upriver and there's a casual / low-key Gordon Ramsay place called the Narrow (I think?) for dessert or a hot toddy after.

Also, The Oiler Bar is a quirky (in the nicest way) Dutch barge which is moored next to the Emirates AirLine (cable car) out in the Docklands - so you can try out the cable car, have a drink, and watch people learning to hang-glide / para-glide in the Thames.

Scottishthreeberry it was me who mentioned about the free drinks

I can't guarantee that it will be in the most interesting or unusual pubs, but the ones we've been in have been pleasant enough. If you sign up to individual pubs on here [[http://www.youngs.co.uk Youngs pubs]], you'll get a free drink (beer, wine or soft drink). Also some Fuller's pubs (I found one right near Notting Hill) Fuller's

Oops, links didn't quite work, but I think you can get the general idea!

I like the Cider Tap (or the Euston Tap opposite if you prefer beer!)

I was going to say The George in Borough, too.

The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead if you're up that way.

Notting Hill has some nice little pubs - the Cow is a local classic.

Last year when we were doing Open Houses in London we came across The Town of Ramsgate in Wapping.
We sat in their back yard right by the river in glorious sunshine & had a very nice lunch.
Nice staff too.
Never been before but have said we'll definitely go back one sunny day maybe with our sons who live in East London now.

I like The Narrowboat in Islington. The food and drink are good, but nothing out of this world. But it's nice to step off the incredibly busy main road, past some seriously smart houses in quiet side streets and then get down on to the tow path and find this tall pub with quite a lot of window and balcony tables overlooking the canal and there are just quacking ducks and chugging boats.

It's 10 minutes walk from Angel tube.

You're right IFailed, it's The George. In my defence, I went in both pubs (and lots of others) and got quite drunk :o

Thanks Confused! And cheers to everyone who's suggested places (not sure am going to remember this long weekend, am I ...

Please, please pretty please, OP - can you get this moved in to a permanent forum?

Unfortunately this - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/2579538-Can-we-have-separate-board-for-London - has yet to come to pass

Can I echo what Squirm said - this is a fab thread, would be a shame to lose it.

Agreed - please let us keep it.

How about the travel board? Some great tips here, would be a shame to lose the thread.

How do we get it moved to travel?

The Lamb in Lamb's Conduit St is a smashing Victorian pub and the Sherlock Holmes in Northumberland Ave has a room done out as Holmes's room in Baker St.

OP needs to report the thread to MNHQ and humbly implore them to move it, offering (London) gin to assist the supplication.

Okay - will report and ask.

There was a similar thread to this a while back www.mumsnet.com/Talk/uk/2276463-Chat-thread-for-Londoners-sorry-for-being-quichey-everyone-else?pg=1, although it was about child-free days out in London - although many pubs were mentioned en passant (!), which the OP got moved to the UK topic.

Another vote for 'Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese', despite the twee name, not a faux pub, but one that was genuinely built in the 16th C and not changed an awful lot since. On a narrow alleyway, just off Fleet Street (takes a little finding), much more spacious inside (lots of little hidden corners) than it looks from outside. Dark, gloomy and traditional ... once upon a time it was the 'go to' place for Fleet St journalists and high court barristers and was full of the gossip of the times. Still fascinating.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ye_Olde_Cheshire_Cheese

Morning all,

We're more than happy to move this thread over to somewhere more permanent. We're thinking that our UK topic might be a better fit than Travel but we'll go with whichever you prefer.

Votes please!