They say that around 30 pubs across the United Kingdom are closing weekly , but you wouldn’t know it after a night out in London, where these days quality is king as more and more fancy beers flow into the capital both from abroad and from within city limits. I don’t doubt that many of the old-school English pubs are struggling, but from my view those pubs that have changed with the changing times — that have recognized some demographic swings, have spruced up the design and decor, upgraded the food, maybe turned off or at least toned down the sports and televisions, and more than anything rethought the beer list — are doing quite well, some even better than ever. To be clear, that’s just a surface-level observation: many pub closures have little to do with what’s inside .
There may not be as many pubs, numbers wise, as there once were in London, but I’d say the city is at a high point for high quality boozing, and that it’s only getting better. To help make sense of this brave new beer world, here are seven recommended pubs, bars, and brewery taprooms, one for each day of the week.
MONDAY: Euston Tap
There’s precious little room inside this refitted Victorian gatehouse, originally built without a single consideration for the day when it would inevitably be turned into a taproom. Appalling. Yes, Euston Tap is packed regularly, particularly come primetime after-work boozing hours and especially when it’s nice out, but post-weekend-binge-drinking-break Monday might be the most relaxed day to work your way through this beer bounty. It’s a fine selection indeed, with 28 well-chosen kegged and cask ales on tap, 150ish bottles in the fridges, plus 13 draft ciders at (decidedly sedater) sister joint Cider Tap , right across the way. When it’s not raining or freezing or both most people step outside to “enjoy” views of Euston Road traffic jams and buses roaring into the adjacent terminal, but there’s also a cozy upstairs seating area (next to the disastrous restrooms) and fight-for-your-right-to-breath-comfortably, mostly standing-room only quarters sluiced in around the bar, too. 190 Euston Rd, in Euston.
TUESDAY: Shaftesbury Tavern
The back room at this neighborhoody gem is just gorgeous: elegant chandeliers, chesterfield sofas, illuminated vintage photography, a skylight, and… ah, whatever, you can see it for yourself there. Oftentimes, though, the showy side of Shaftesbury Tavern feels like just that — a showpiece. On my most recent visit, for instance, the bar area was at capacity with a lively crowd full of obvious regulars, but nobody was sitting in back; I overheard one couple say “it’s a bit far back, though” when surveying the seating scene, ultimately squeezing in at the end of an occupied table.
Related: Hardcore Craft Beers and Not-So-Hardcore Anymore ’90s in London’s Camden Town
Hey, I couldn’t blame them: there’s a great vibe up front, one enhanced by a stellar jukebox and casual staff that make you feel right at home. Beers from Dragonfly Brewery, brewed in Acton at The George & Dragon, are the specialty here, but they’re supplemented by taps/bottles/cans from a gaggle of London craft breweries that includes Beavertown and Hammerton. Yes, Shaftesbury is part of the Remarkable Restaurants chain, but “chain pub” doesn’t have to be a filthy word when it’s done well — right, BrewDog?
Cash and booze prices are at stake every Tuesday for Quiz Night; losers can always challenge winners to the real quiz, seen below, outdoors. 534 Hornsey Rd, in Crouch Hill.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-2BFjSMVsU] WEDNESDAY: Southampton Arms
In his recent roundup of 10 of the best British pubs , Esquire food editor Tom Parker Bowles called out Southampton Arms for its “frankly incredible roast pork bap.” Last week, a few bites into the prestigious bap my wife gushed that it was “actually kind of outrageous,” then made us promise ourselves to return to this classic Kentish Town pub at least once a week because of it. No objections here, though as a feckless pescetarian I’m onto the cheese-and-chutney bap and bowling ball-sized Scotch eggs: this is one of those classy joints that somehow feels totally modern despite traditional English pub trappings dominated by dark woods and detailed mirrors.
The baps are reason enough to visit, but there’s also that alcoholic stuff. Southampton Arms bills itself as London’s lone boozer selling only “beers and ciders from small, independent UK breweries,” and that’s one credo I can certainly get behind. Cask ales and ciders are the focus, with kegged options limited to two offerings from Camden Town Brewery, which according to me is producing some of the more boring (though still drinkable) beers in London.
There’s a pretty (though cigarette smoky) courtyard with twinkle lights out back, and live piano players further brighten up the scene Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Well worth seeking out; just don’t copy their fucking signage . 139 Highgate Rd, in Kentish Town.
THURSDAY: BrewDog Camden
London has been kind to the increasingly franchise-focused BrewDog brand, which since opening its flagship bar on a Camden backstreet in 2011 has launched three more outlets (in Shoreditch , Clapham Junction , and Shepherd’s Bush ), plus a bottle shop , and has a fourth branch coming soon in Soho. The “hardcore beers for punks” ethos has worn more than a little thin over the years, but marketing/politics/personality aside this Scotland-based brewery is still doing wonderful things with beer. In London, Camden is my preferred place to drink it, in part because I know there’s always a decent chance that I’ll hear some Clutch and other choice rock in the background. Expect 19 taps split between BrewDog, Mikkeller, Stone, and/or any number of UK craft breweries, along with a deep (and $$$) bottle list anchored, of course, by damn near the full BrewDog range. 113 Bayham St, in Camden.
The Earl of Essex
FRIDAY: The Earl of Essex
There’s no good reason to specifically dedicate Friday to The Earl of Essex because every night is a perfect night for the Earl. This cheerful, buzzy Islington “brewpub” (quotes because brewing happens with increasing irregularity) is a lovely place to kick off a weekend, though, due in part to a 15-tap lineup that’s consistently aces — and updated with satisfying catharsis on the bar’s Tumblr . The gastropubby fare puts the Earl over the top: try the sweet potato falafel balls with dill yoghurt, addictive thick-cut chips with aioli, the charcuterie and/or cheese boards, the seasonal salads, and, especially, the hearty fish-finger sandwich, which just might be the best of its kind in London.
(October 2015 Update: A new “chef” is doing his best to 86 the Earl’s formerly impeccable food reputation. The new fish finger sandwich is bland and boring, and numerous other additions to the menu have proven puzzling at best, like a grilled haloumi burger slathered with hazelnut butter, then drizzled with sweet chili sauce. The fuck? Still love the Earl and it’s still well worth visiting, but the food is sadly hit-and-likely-miss until further notice.)
Menus are reprinted when staff updates the beer board so as to have up-to-date pairing suggestions for every single dish available. 25 Danbury St, in Islington.
SATURDAY: Beavertown Brewery Taproom
Arguably the kings o’ the mountain that is London’s breakout brewing scene, Beavertown has grown from a tiny Haggerston brewpub ( which is still open and still amazing ) to a proper Tottenham Hale brewery where demand is exceeding the limits of Beavertown’s 12 120-hectoliter tanks; indeed, a second facility furnished with 12 more same-sized tanks is on the horizon . That, friends, is what you might call impressive growth for a brewery still a year shy of its fifth birthday — and it’s all well deserved.
Related: In London, Drink to Travel at Fourpure Brewing Co.
Everything is coming up Beavertown these days, from its distinct, sci-fi skullduggery branding to a rock-solid range of core beers and beautifully done seasonals and collaborations. Every Saturday the brewery doubles as a taproom, with all sorts of bottled, canned, and tapped Beavertown goodness served at palatable prices and complemented by a rotating lineup of food trucks and stalls; sometimes extra-special things happen , too.
Saturdays are also open brewery days in Bermondsey ; thanks to Beavertown’s extended hours it’s no trouble having your Bermondsey beer and drinking your Beavertown beer, too. Unit 17-18, Lockwood Industrial Park, Mill Mead Rd, in Tottenham Hale.
SUNDAY: London Fields Brewery Taproom
Finally, wind the week down underneath the London Overground tracks at laid-back London Fields Brewery, where every Sunday night TJ Johnson and His Band jazz things up with swinging sets lasting from around 8pm until 10:30ish. Beers from this Hackney craft brewery are just fine — go for the Shoreditch Triangle IPA or whatever seasonal, small-batch, or experimental brew is on tap — and Sunday roasts do the Sunday roast job, though you’ll likely have to get here early because they do run out and the kitchen pretty much shuts down thereafter. I can’t think of any London watering hole where I’d rather be on a Sunday evening. 365-366 Warburton St, in Hackney.
