Bars & cafes – All our local tips

You don’t need to be a devoted fan of Ray Charles or Etta James to appreciate Ain’t Nothing But the Blues. All you need is an appreciation for soulful music.

Discretely located down Kingly Street in Soho, it is easy to miss the bar’s entrance. And once inside, the understated décor and the absence of a cocktail list clearly places it behind the glitter and glamour of most West End haunts. However, the fantastic live music makes for a much more memorable night than any of the carbon copy bars which surround it.

Every night of the week the bar fills up in anticipation for the band to take to the stage. Be sure to get in before 20:30 on Friday and Saturday nights as entry is free and you’ll miss the infamous queue. It is also worth getting there early to grab yourself a table, particularly if a discreet toe tap is your preferred style of dancing.

Being a blues bar virgin at the time, I can’t recall what type of blues the band played, however I do recall the music being that infectious that I was dancing on the chairs for hours- clearly the absence of a cocktail list, not preventing such behaviour!

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Ain’t Nothing But the Blues | Bars, Music, Snacks | Fri/Sat after 20:30 £ 5.00
20 Kingly Street | Central | +4402072870514
Mon – Wed 18:00 – 01:00, Thu 18:00 – 02:00, Fri 17:00 – 03:00, Sat 15:00 – 03:00, Sun 15:00 – 00:00

Convenient is the best word to describe the Alexandra Pub or the Alex as referred to by the locals. This is primarily due to its location in Clapham, the converging point for young professionals coming from within the vicinity or beyond.

It is easily reached by the Underground on the Northern Line and cannot be missed as soon as you come out from Clapham Common tube station.

It is also convenient in the sense that you need not worry about what you wear. The Alex offers a laid back atmosphere where you can meet up with friends either after work or during the lazy weekends. It is also a great place to go to watch a major sporting event like football or rugby.

The Alex has two floors of seating (and at times standing) area and each floor has a bar making it convenient to order more beer, ales and cider. The interior is a typical pub scene with plenty of memorabilia items on the walls and unused corners. Of course, there are also fruit machines.

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Alexandra Pub | Bars | Pint £ 3.00
14 Clapham Common South Side | South-West | +442076275102
11:00 – 23:00 daily

Bar Calvados is a perfect venue for a night out because of its location in the Clapham Junction and Battersea area. They have an extensive drinks menu including ‘happy hour’ offers like £20 for a bottle of champagne before 9pm. It is possible to reserve an area for private parties where you and your friends have exclusive access to your own private bar. Their staff are very friendly and helpful. And if you fancy something to eat, you can order from the Chinese restaurant next door and they bring the food to your table.

From 23:00, the music is fired up for dancing on the lower ground. The dance floor is the size of a double bedroom so it could get really tight down there. Funk and disco are the beats played on a Saturday evening, ideal for let-your-hair-down dancing.

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Bar Calvados | Bars | Cocktails £ 7.50
52 Battersea Rise | South-West | +442072280336
16:00 – 00:00 daily

Located down a side street off the eclectic madness that is Camden High Road, Bar Vinyl is all about old skool hip hop, soul and funk and also has a record store tucked away downstairs. The whole place has that old skool feel to it, everything from the music to the movies projected up on the screen at the back, so feel free to dust of you old adidas coloured tracksuit and trainers and reminisce!

The food menu is mainly made up of pizzas, hotdogs and chips – whilst not amazing, it matches the old skool era of the place perfectly. And to further compliment the atmosphere is the cocktail list, try a Pimp Daddy or a Vinyl Richie cocktail from the ‘The Vinyl Collection’ list or a Chocolate Martini or Liquid Viagra from the ‘Old Skool Remixes’ list. However it needs to be said – the cocktails are lethal.

The DJ comes on between 21:00 – 22:00 and plays a great mix of funky tunes which had me happily singing along to some old favourites that I hadn’t heard in years. Whilst the crowd can be unpredictable, the feel good music and atmosphere will ensure that you’re left bopping away, like Lionel Richie once warned, all night long!

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Bar Vinyl | Bars, Music, Shopping, Snacks
6 Inverness street | North-West | +442074825545
Sun – Wed 11:00 – 00:00, Thu – Sat 11:00 – 01:00

The Bedroom Bar, situated in Shoreditch’s pulsing pulmonary, Rivington Street (only a few minutes’ stroll from Old Street tube), runs a finely-tuned precipice in east London between the bloated bankers of Old Street and their drainpiped boho compatriots creeping in from the artier corners of Hackney and Hoxton.

Happily, there’s something for everyone here- especially as the Bedroom carries the successful Comedy Café as its subterranean sister venue. Cheap pints-a-plenty for the hard-up, and a cocktail list to enliven even the most hardy HBOS punter mean this place is one of the few locations where suits and students can rub shoulders in drunken joy.

Add in the fervent Indian décor- inclusive of giant Ganesha- and the dimly-lit corridors and plush sofas here are more than conducive to a bit of hanky-panky. The great and the good from London’s underground chilled house and techno DJ echelons flock here Bedroom each weekend, too: music, cocktails and giant elephants – what more do you want?

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Bedroom Bar | Bars, Music
62 Rivington Street | East | +442076135637
Thu 19:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 19:00 – 02:00

The area around Liverpool Street Station in East London was once associated with poor slums and the scene of the crime for the Jack the Ripper murders. Whilst the Ten Bells still stands, the pub that Jack’s victims drunk at, the area itself is now very popular with London’s edgy and artistic crowd.

After a short walk from Liverpool Street Station, you’ll come across the Old Spitalfields Markets (105a Commercial Street) which are open every Sunday. Whilst these markets are definitely worth a peak, keep wandering towards Bricklane where you’ll find the Old Truman Brewery (91 Bricklane).

These are one on my favourite markets as this is where up-and-coming designers set up shop every Sunday selling a unique variety of handbags, clothes and jewellery. There’s also a few vintage clothing stores and chic boutiques dotted around the area, which is a refreshing change from the usual high street clothing stores.

Whilst Bricklane has always been synonymous for its many curry restaurants, it now has a reputation for its warehouse art exhibitions and trendy clubs and bars. So, before your East London experience is complete, be sure to head to the Vibe Bars beer garden for a drink or two before stumbling across the road to 93 Feet East (150 Bricklane) for some late night groovin.

Whilst this place is sweaty and jammed, it has become an East End institution well known for its eclectic mix of live music and its intimate atmosphere.

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Bricklane | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Shopping, Restaurants (Various, however mainly Bangladeshi) | Average meal £ £5.00-£20
Bricklane | East
Markets open Sun, most clothing stores daily, 93 Feet East: Mon – Thu 17:00 – 23:00, Fri 17:00 – 01:00, Sat 12:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30

During the day people bring their laptops or books and work, read and drink coffee sprawled over one of the many mismatched sofas or lounge chairs. At night tea candles are lit and hot drinks are swapped for alcoholic drinks as people unwind and meet friends in what was once the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane (check the Brick Lane article). Now that it’s wintertime, people who swamped to the outside picnic benches and the alleyway still venture out, but there is a much more cosy feel inside.

The boho and versatile venue opens at a very early 06:00 for breakfast and soups, jacket potatoes and sandwiches are on offer for lunch and dinner. Live music attracts a younger crowd with indie bands on Tuesday and jazz on Wednesday. Bands play in the smaller room at the back on Sunday and a dj spins tunes on Friday and Saturday.

Cocktails made with fresh fruit are available on the weekend and all year round you can grab a burger or corn on the cob from the grill stand outside. Tables and benches outside in front are great for people watching or smoking.

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Café 1001 | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks, Restaurants (intern.)
1 Dray walk, 91 Brick Lane | East | +442072479679
Mon – Sat 06:00 – 00:00, Sun 06:00 – 23:30

There are few places in London where you can see quality classical or jazz music for a decent price. You may find some little den of iniquity outside the city walls, but the quality of music is likely to be more second-rate than a Ronaldo dive.

Thankfully, largely overpriced Trafalgar Square has a trick up its sleeve, for buried in the catacombs of St. Martin-in-the-Fields church lies the Café in the Crypt; a vaulted subterranean fusion of good food and even better music. The place alone is striking; the up-lit vaults provide the perfect acoustic backdrop to some elegant dining. The last time I went I caught an excellent jazz trio, though classical sets are the meat and cheese.

The staff are incredibly kind and friendly, the clientèle passive and warm, and the food – whilst not exactly Michelin starred – is good enough to come back to many a time. Served on a buffet basis, there are various salads, roasts, pies and other dishes to satisfy almost every taste.

It’s fantastic value, too – lunch or dinner. Compared to other jazz venues like Ronnie Scott’s of Camden’s imposing Jazz Café tickets are fractional. Some nights you can even catch a concert and meal for £20. For the sheer quality the Café oozes this is a great offer. Other night tickets may range from as little as £8 to the bigger classical concertos breaking in at the £20 – £25 mark. Either way, you’d be a fool to miss one of central London’s most beautifully best-kept secrets.

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Café in the Crypt | Bars, Music, Festivals & events, Restaurants (English)
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church | Central | +442077661158
Mon – Tue 08:00 – 20:00, Wed – Sat 08:00 – 22:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00

Brick Lane offers a multitude of choice in terms of bars and nightlife but Casa Blue sticks out, not least because of all the fairy lights and candles glowing from within.

A lacquered wooden panel of peacocks is hung next to a watercolour painting of a naval fleet. 50’s memorabilia is plastered wearily to the wall. While the predominantly red kitsch bric-a-brac decor means your eyes don’t know where to settle, the kooky collection of plastic chandeliers, hanging baubles and blinking strings of light make a unique setting.

Even though the music ranges anywhere from the Beatles to Manu Chau, the tunes are familiar and well-chosen. There are comfy plus sofas and yummy cocktails. Food is also available. While the menu is limited, the house specialty comes in platter form – international mezze for two or more people. For only £5 each, sharing platters come with a selection of hot and cold tapas and you can choose Mediterranean, Indian or Greek cuisine.

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Casa Blue | Bars, Snacks | Cocktail £ 6.00
228 Brick Lane | East
Sun – Thu 12:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 03:00

There’s a reason Electricity is chocked full of revellers every weekend – it’s the perfect reason to get all your mates to Bohemian Shoreditch without a murmur of discontent. Somehow, amongst all the art-houses and backyard gig venues, Electricity manages to draw a pretty wide range of people with its unassuming style, good music and all-out fun dance floor.

Upstairs it’s more of the same, frankly, with dimly-lit Boho benches and couches filled with pretty girls and boys an their rosé wine. There’s a good selection of lagers ranging from Kirin to Paulaner, but it’ll cost you – pints are priced between a respectable £2.70 and a pocket-busting £4.30. Bar staff and quick and efficient, so although the bar looks about five-deep, you’ll only ever be waiting for a couple of minutes at most. If you want to line your stomach before all that reverie, there’s a decent selection of decent (not much more) food which, sadly, costs about the same as most good pub grub these days.

But it’s downstairs between Wednesday and Saturday that Electricity sparks into life. The blackened basement is bedecked with a groovy (!?) huge tiled dance floor which can get even the laziest clubber on their feet. Combine that with various great DJs spinning anything from modern electro to (the best) good ol’ 50s rock n’ roll legends. You’ll probably move on to Cargo or 333, but Electricity Showrooms is a Shoredtich classic.

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Electricity Showrooms | Bars
39A Hoxton Square | East | +442077393939
Check listings on website for opening times

Fabric is huge, in size and stature. I guess I don’t really need to single it out as a hidden treasure, but it would simply be criminal as a clubber to go to this city and miss a Friday night in the place DJ magazine voted second best in the world (down from first), just behind Ibiza’s Space.

Literally every dance genre is catered for by this monolith of madness – residents include house legends Craig Richards and Terry B, and you’ll nearly always find Drum n’ Bass god DJ Hype turning up the heat in Room 2 – which has one of the best laser displays this side of San Antonio. FabricLive on a Friday is undoubtedly the best night to visit, with appearances from the likes of Hawtin, Villalobos and Morillo getting the huge crowds pumping. Stay to the end; there’s nothing quite like it on the planet.

Stuff other clubs royally screw up are fine-tuned to perfection in Fabric. Otherwise sordid unisex toilets are glitzy and cool; rubbish is nowhere to be seen and the layout is instantly recognisable. The only drawbacks are the massive queues – always come earlyish – and the prices. But you knew that already. London needs its king with so many great places falling by the wayside right now – Turnmills, The Key, The End. So come with wads of cash and bow down to a demigod of dance. All hail Fabric.

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Fabric | Bars, Music | Entrance adults Sat £ 16.00
77A Charterhouse Street | Central | +442073368898
Fri 22:00 – 06:00, Sat 23:00 – 08:00

Gilgamesh was the son of the greatest King in biblical times, and is believed to have lived a heroic and adventurous life. To his tribute, the Gilgamesh restaurant encapsulates his greatness by creating a breathtaking visionary restaurant. The construction of the place alone appears to have been bigger than Ben Hur, as it hosts the worlds longest bar, which was hand carved in India, by an impressive 10,000 men! Needless to say, this venue is definitely worth the visit!

The food is Asian fusion, everything ranging from Dim Sum at lunch to a large selection of Sushi followed by a few Thai favourites. The prices are also varied, ranging from £8 for Scallop Sashimi, to £24.80 at the higher end of the scale for the Hoba Miso Chilean Seabass. Gilgamesh also caters for larger groups and offers the exclusive chef’s table for groups of 8-12 people, where you will be served a range of dishes from Grilled Wagyu with Spicy Ponzu and Truffles for £75 per head.

Gilgamesh also boasts a glass tea room which is lit with candles at night, in addition to a private bar, the Babylon Lounge Bar. Whilst the bar length is significantly smaller than its sister in the main restaurant, the sophistication in Babylon still continues. As where else can you sip your cocktail whilst dangling on a hanging sitting chair?

Gilgamesh’s grandeur is in keep with the biblical King’s reputation, therefore if you’re after a bit of magnificence you’ll really enjoy the Gilgamesh experience.

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Gilgamesh | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Asian) | Dim Sum £ 8.00
The Stables Market Chalk Farm Road | North-West | +442074284922
12:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 00:00 daily

Considered as London’s oldest wine bar, Gordon’s Wine Bar is a haven to vino lovers as this is the only drink available on the menu. Take your pick from the finest wines from the new and old world – red, white, rosé, port, sherry – they’ve got it.

The building dates back to the 1680s and was once the house of Samuel Pepys who is one of England’s prominent historical figures. Before the establishment of the wine bar in 1890, it served as the house’s cellar. It was flooded several times before the embankment was built on the Thames. Today, the darkened, candle-lit alcoves still provide that musky smell giving a true sense of its age.

The place is almost always packed. And while this might lead you in thinking that it takes ages to order, the reality is quite the opposite. As soon as you descend the wobbly stairs, just head straight to the bar and forget about queuing.

They don’t like queuing here so you better be quick. Make sure that you also keep an eye on your belongings as thieves are known to be about, especially if you sit in the dark areas.

Gordon’s Wine Bar is usually ignored because of its “old” appearance but once you’ve been, you’ll surely come back for more.

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Gordon’s Wine Bar | Bars | Glass of wine from £ 4.00
47 Villiers Street | Central | +442079301408
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:00

Karaoke: a word that used to make me recoil in horror, the prospect of standing up in front of a room full of strangers and trying not to sound like a cat in a mangle was a chilling one indeed! How all that changed though on my first visit to Karaoke Box; a place where only your friends need be subjected to your attempts at singing Gimme Gimme Gimme, and where the walls seem to very obligingly soak up the sound of your own voice, so you can convince yourself you’re hitting every note pitch perfect.

While the concept of karaoke bars with private rooms for hire is not a new one, there has been a noticeable increase in the last few years, and Karaoke Box in Smithfield is a fine example. Consisting of a modern spacious bar area with sixteen private karaoke booths of varying sizes, it is a great choice for parties. Or, if you’re anything like myself and my karaoke-loving friends, don’t wait for an occasion and just each chip in some money for an amusing alternative to the pub on Friday night.

There’s an array of contemporary and classic cocktails available, as well as beers, wines and spirits. Prices are a bit above average, but no more than you’d expect from a bar close to central London. I recommend perhaps going to one of the (slightly cheaper) pubs in surrounding Farringdon first for a bit of pre-performance Dutch courage.

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Karaoke Box | Bars | Rooms p/h from £ 20.00
12 Smithfield Street | Central | +442073299991
Mon – Wed 12:00 – 13:00, Thu – Sat 12:00 – 03:00

Taxidermy and bric-a-brac aren’t the surroundings I’d usually pick for a cocktail bar, however this place not only pulls it off, it does it in style! Situated in an old meat packing factory, this kitsch establishment is a favourite with the fashion and media world. Even Madonna, the material girl herself, had a birthday here.

Its location, down a gritty East London street, combined with the unusual choice of stuffed animals and dolls is a stark contrast to the glamorous clientele draping off the ornate sofas. All of which creating quite a surreal experience.

The cocktail list is impressive, as is the care and attention put in to making each drink. The Lotus Position, blended with vodka, Mozart White, strawberry puree, mimosa syrup with orange flower water goes down very easily, as does the Adam and Eve, a tempting combination of vodka, blueberries, fig liqueur and lime.

To best enjoy your night, call ahead and reserve a sofa and take in the fabulous surroundings.

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Lounge Lovers | Bars, Music, Relaxing | Cocktails from £ 7.00
1 Whitby Street | East | +4402070121234
Tue – Thu & Sun 18:00 – 00:00, Fri 17:30 – 01:00, Sat 18:00 – 01:00

Located in the thick of Soho’s sex shops and bars is the sultry Madame JoJo’s. Once a strip club, Madame JoJo’s is now famous for its eclectic music nights, ranging from rockabilly, deep funk, indie, soul and a splash of disco.

Whilst the nature of business has changed at Madame JoJo’s, its strip club days can still be clearly visualised as the interior still resembles its former self – dimly lit and slightly decedent. As for the atmosphere, it certainly has a seductive Moulin Rouge feel to it, mixed with an ‘if-these-walls-could-talk’ vibe pulsating off the mirrored walls.

As for the crowd, most people tend to put particular effort into their appearance. If you go on rockabilly night, expect to see girls in dresses which seem to accentuate their dance moves as they jive the night away. Or even a few girls dressed in burlesque – so it’s a great place to go if you want to be creative with your look or be someone else for the night!

Therefore it goes without saying that the atmosphere of Madame JoJo’s only further compliments the exceptionally good music they play. Making this place is a must for anyone who has a taste for the slightly off beat and an ear for good music.

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Madame Jojos | Bars, Music | Entance from £ 3.00
8-10 Brewer Street | Central | +4402077343040
Tue 20:00 -03:00, Wed 22:30 – 03:00, Thu 19:30 – 02:30, Fri – Sat 22:00 – 03:00, Sun 21:30 – 03:00

An unlikely spot for a bar, at midnight the small back room of this kebab shop turns into a venue for drinking and live music. When hordes of hungry post-pub drinkers pile into the fast-food joint for a late-night burger, the ones in the know are sat in the back, in a dark cavernous room with an old cabin feel and a ceiling that drips with mini stalactites.

Drinks are simple – beer or spirits & mixer, and reused Jack Daniels bottles turned candle holders set the mood in this cosy bar. The musical line-up includes live jazz every Friday and Saturday and rock & roll the rest of the week.

I was highly skeptical when my friends first dragged me through the grease-covered take away stop, but now I’m a convert. Once you’ve gone, you feel just a little special – and will be eager to show others this marvelous disguised drinking hole.

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Marathon | Bars | Gin & tonic £ 3.00
87 Chalk Farm Road | North-West | +442074853814
Sun – Thu 00:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sat 00:00 – 03:00

Named after the Bob Dylan song, Positively 4th Street is a New York-style bar with a Japanese theme, tucked away in the relative no-man’s-land between Warren Street and Euston. The advantage of this slightly less than glamourous location is that the bar slips under the radar of the masses a few minutes walk down the road, and I like how this adds to the Prohibition style secrecy of the place.

The crowd here are a mixture of locals, groups popping in post-work for a few and Camden-types who’ve drifted south. Inside is all black décor, red leather upholstery, mirrors and low lighting, creating a terrific, intimate ambiance. I love the palm leaf fans mysteriously moving back and forth with I daresay little effect, but they add the perfect touch. Classic jazz music adds the final touch to really make it feel like 1920s New York. There is also a downstairs cellar room where DJs occasionally play, and I highly recommend heading down there and making some crazy, cocktail-fuelled shapes!

Ah yes, the cocktails! There’s a brilliant choice of inventive and suitably potent cocktails here. Last time I went I was lost in a sea of Singapore Slings, but try the Zimmerman Revisited or the Japanese Cosmopolitan. Prices are very decent too, averaging about £5-6 for a cocktail. There are also draught beers and wines available, and for those interested, a good bourbon selection. So, no excuse for not joining in with the Prohibition spirit!

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Positively 4th Street | Bars | Cocktails from £ 5.50
119 Hampstead Road | North-West | +442073885380
Mon – Thu 17:00 – 23:00, Fri 17:00 – 01:00, Sat 19:00 – 01:00

It’s a constant dilemma. London has so many fantastic pubs and clubs, however often it’s so hard to find a funky bar where you can go dancing which doesn’t close when the clock strikes twelve. However the Ruby & Sequoia restaurant bar, which is located near the fabulous Portobello Road, offers just that.

The main bar is a great place to stand around with a cocktail and catch up with friends, whilst the small downstairs area plays a mixture of dance and funk, which incidentally will have you dancing until the wee hours of the night.

The only downside about this place is that it has recently turned into a members bar, which means non members need to call ahead to get their names at the door. However entry is still free.

The restaurant is also open for brunch and offers the perfect hangover cure for £10 – any main course, a Bloody Mary, the morning papers and of course coffee and juice. Therefore, with Portobello Road less than a one minute walk away, Ruby & Sequoia restaurant bar is a great place to either start or end a day out in the area.

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Ruby & Sequoia | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks, Restaurants (European)
6-8 All Saints Road | West | +4402072436363
Mon – Thu 18:00 – 00:30, Fri 18:00 – 02:00, Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 11:00 – 00:30

So, it’s that wonderful time of year when families are brought together, love is shared by society and happiness finds solace in the hearts of the many. Yes, it’s sales time and there must be about a million-and-a-half gormless androids shuffle down Oxford Street’s urban highways in search of bargain t-shirts. I can’t profess to possess any sort of moral high ground today though, because I too am shuffling between the masses, Selfridges bags and jubilant girlfriend in tow. Sales in central London is bad enough, but sales in sub-zero temperatures is enough to get even the most feverish shopper turning the air bluer than a £1 alcopop.

Still, just a minute away from the crush on Davies Street is the elegant Running Horse – a solace of solitude and radiators a million miles away from the bargain-hungry muppets. Wood panels and kitch clockery make the pub out like a 1970s smoking club, while the modern lighting and meagre beer choices are a purely naughties affair.

What does dazzle, however, is the food. Usually, ‘Toulouse sausages and creamed mash’ equate to ‘bangers and mash (with parsley) – but this was different. And my partner’s haddock dish looked like something straight out of Claridges. Both less than a tenner, both delicious, hearty pub grub. Never mind the barman was about as friendly as malaria, or that the cheese selection was made for Trumpton, or even that the last time I visited my father got the wrong dish – the warm interior and superb food make this place an oasis in an otherwise hellish area this time of year. God bless the holidays.

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Running Horse, Mayfair | Bars, Restaurants (Pub) | Main meals from £ 9.00
50 Davies Street | Central
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:00

For the perfect combination of glamour and eccentricity, head to Sketch, off Regent St, Mayfair. Sketch is made up of a few bars and restaurants, one of which has a Michelin star, however the main attraction of Sketch is its quirky interior. Each room is unique, however the design is consistent; opulent, edgy and alluring.

For a traditional but chic English experience, the Parlour room does a great High Tea in the afternoon from 15:00 – 19:30. For £30, you get a sample of scrumptious cakes, traditional sandwiches, tea and a glass of champagne to wash it all down.

The Gallery, which has various cultural exhibitions by day, converts into a restaurant at night with a live DJ playing until 02:00. Whilst there, be sure to wander down to the East Bar at the back of the Gallery. This intimate bar is the perfect place to sip on a delicious Tai Tai or Lovely Bubbly cocktail.

Above the East Bar, two staircases lead up to a floor that has randomly scattered white cubicles which resemble a cross between giant eggshells and space ships: naturally, these are the toilets. Once you enter your spaceship cubicle you are greeted by some interesting sounds such as cows mooing, people laughing or X rated screams.

Needless to say, after being at Sketch for only a short while you’ll begin to feel as if you have stumbled across a secret and unusual little world – a world where you won’t want to leave!

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Sketch | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (English)
9 Conduit Street | Central | +442076594500
Mon – Sat

At the top of China Town is London’s best cinema. The prices are less than the outrageously priced Hollywood junk shown in Leicester square and the venue is so welcoming people hang out here without even watching a film. The Soho Curzon is part of a chain of five similar cinemas, though my personal favourite is the Soho edition as it’s the most central and the layout is most inviting.

At street level a retro-styled café has over 20 different pastries and cakes and serves hot soup, coffees and organic wines. Downstairs a spacious bar is adorned with brown leather sofas you sink down into and tables where you can find people having pre-movie drinks, post-movie chats or just enjoying the artsy atmosphere.

The three cinemas in the basement show a selection of art house independent and less commercial titles. The Soho Curzon regularly hosts Q&A sessions with film directors and script writers along with special previews. Film festivals and a monthly quiz are also on the agenda.

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Soho Curzon | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Ticket £ 12.00
99 Shaftesbury Avenue | Central | +448717033988
Box office 11:00 – 21:00 daily | Bar 11:00 – 23:00 daily

Located not so far from the bustling Oxford Street is St Christopher’s Place. Its proximity to London’s most popular shopping street makes it easily accessible to tourists but there is always a fair amount of locals who frequent the place. Here you’ll find a collection of places to eat and drink like Carluccio’s (an Italian restaurant), Sofra (bit of Middle Eastern cuisine) and my favourite, Café Creperie (to satisfy my French cravings). There is also a traditional pub, Lamb & Flag, in one corner, if cosmopolitan dining is not your cup of tea. There are other places to eat, drink and shop all the way up to Wigmore Street.

From time to time, there are buskers who provide the musical entertainment. But there is always a party atmosphere with or without the music.

Alfresco is the main dining theme at St Christopher’s place. Even in winter, people would still sit outside as almost every place offer patio heating. However, I wouldn’t know how it’s like when it is raining — as it almost always does. But when the weather is good, it is a perfect place to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.

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St Christopher’s Place | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Various)
St Christopher’s Place | Central
Varying opening times

The Amersham Arms’ tag line is ’slightly new movements in public houses’, and it’s not far wrong. Situated right in the centre of the buzzing New Cross/Camberwell area home to so many Goldsmiths-bound trustafarians, the Arms is a oasis of indie, fags and drainpipes in an otherwise towny part of town. It’s almost a humorous juxtaposition to behemoth of mediocrity The Venue, sat right across the one-way.

So the Boho invasion reaches the south-east. All the better pickings for the public. For as the Arms may be awash with bawdy indie preachers, it is also bursting with underground musical talent and some rip-roaring club nights, spearheaded by the inimitable Adventures in the Beetroot Field. Drinks are decently priced, the music is cranked up to eleven and the people are, for all their avarice and pride, a friendly bunch with not much more than a vintage hankie up their sleeves. Not to be outdone as a pub either, the Arms offers a smelly smorgasbord of cheeses and upmarket snacks to those who need a bit of energy between art classes.

So if Camden’s too crack-addled and Shoreditch is becoming a bore, get on the train to New Cross and drink yourself merry to the best punky pop London can muster. You might even come back south of the river one day.

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The Amersham Arms | Bars, Music
338 New Cross Road | South-East | +442084691499
12:00 – late (check listings) daily

If The Bedford was a person, it would be a woman. Why? Because it can multi-task!

It was originally a hotel in the 1830s so it’s no wonder why there more than 1 room. Today, The Bedford is a place where you drink, eat, dance, laugh, listen and see.

This iconic venue in south west London is conveniently located near the Balham rail and tube stations. There is something happening each day of the week whether it be a comedy show, a dance class, a concert or a club night. You can also chill with a pint or two by the fireplace or soak in the lively atmosphere as you sit by the bar. Who knows you might be sitting beside the resident mascot – a huge German Shepherd with quite the fancy for an ale.

I go to The Bedford mainly for 2 reasons, one is to dance Argentine tango (with Tango Fandango) every other Sunday; the other is to learn the lindy hop (with Swingland) every Tuesday. But I’ve since discovered that they also serve great food, which is unusual for pub grubs, especially the chips. Big, fat slices that are oh so tasty! Possibly the best bowl of chips in SW London.

The Bedford is not just your typical local pub. It’s a centre for everything.

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The Bedford | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Restaurants (Pub) | Wine £ 3.00
77 Bedford Hill | South-West | +442086828940
Mon-Thu 11:00 – 23:00 Fri-Sat 11:00 – 02:00 Sun 12:00 – 22:30

There are quite a few nice places to retreat from the nasty, shopping maelstrom that is Oxford Street, and depending on your taste, The Champion pub is one of them.

Owned by the Yorkshire-based Samuel Smith brewery, it is essentially an ‘old man’s boozer’. This simple pub boasts a beautiful wood exterior with large-stained glass windows that give a nice medieval air (without the Black Death, though that would be a good name for an ale). My favourite is the Pure Brewed Lager, served cold in a tall, Sam Smith glass.

I especially love it for it’s beers, very low in price, high in taste-bud satisfaction, enjoyed on many a Friday evening.  Enjoy the summer sun when it returns, and spill out onto the street with the rest of the local, post-work crowd.

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The Champion | Bars | Pint of the good stuff from £ 1.99
12-13 Wells Street | Central | +442073231228
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30

The Dolphin Pub is the kind of place you feel you have to explain its appeal before admitting to liking it, as from the outside the pub looks very much like an old mans watering hole and the interior screams tacky Victorian, if you can imagine such a thing.

However hit this place on a Saturday night for a drink or two and you’ll find yourself there till the early hours, dancing and singing along to handbag house intermittently mixed with karaoke favourites. Yes, the music selection is what keeps the crowd’s infectiously good vibe going, as one minute you’re gyrating to cheesy dance classics and the next minute someone has taken the microphone and is singing along to the best of the worst karaoke tunes. However the crowd doesn’t seem to care whether you hit that note, just as long as the music keeps playing and the bar keeps serving.

If you’re in need of resting your feet, or vocal cords as it may be, they have a decent sized outdoor terrace where you can eye up the outrageously trendy and alternative types that flock to this pub. Like so much of East London, the most unlikely of places always attracts the trendiest of crowds, therefore West End glamour types may not be impressed. However this unpredictably fun pub has the knack of removing inhibitions and class distinctions as the night wears on and the intoxication levels increase.

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The Dolphin Pub | Bars, Music | Pint £ 3.00
165 Mare Street | East | +442089853727
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 02:00, Fri 16:00 – 04:00, Sat 12:00 – 04:00, Sun 12:00 – 02:00

Just a ten-minute walk from the maelstrom of central Hammersmith, The Dove public house is a haven of easy peacefulness, harking back to a more civilised age of drinking.  Tucked away in a narrow passage on the picturesque banks of the River Thames, this small, 17th Century building is reminiscent of a country cottage, serving hearty food, and ales from the local Chiswick Fullers brewery.

Step through the old, dark front door into a warm and inviting bar no bigger than a front room, panelled in lustrous, dark wood. Head up a few gently creaking steps into the main dining area, minding your head on the low wood beams that truss the ceiling, and you find yourself in another panelled room lit by brass-lamp fittings that pool light over historic black and white photos of Hammersmith.  Well-worn benches, chairs and tables line the walls throughout, and in winter two roaring fires will be nurtured by local river-folk, walkers, a dog or two, and the few lucky tourists who will have stumbled upon this gem.

Summer is equally tranquil; a conservatory to the rear opens out to a terrace overlooking the sparkling river, the opposite bank lined with lush, green trees.  The Oxford & Cambridge boat race can be viewed from here if you’re lucky enough to get a seat.

I really shouldn’t be telling you about this, because it’s one of those places that you want to keep just for yourself.  I feel like a magician who’s revealed the prestige of the magic trick.

Look into my eyes, you have never heard of a pub…called The Dove…

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The Dove | Bars, Restaurants (English) | Main from £ 9.75
19 Upper Mall | West | +442087489474
Bar 11:00 – 23:00 daily | Food Mon- Fri 12:00 – 15:00 & 17:00 – 22:00 , Sat 12:00 – 22:00, Sun 12:00 – 19:00

There’s a lot right with Victoria Park village – and there are plenty of drawbacks. Beautiful little bistros lining the street, ample shopping and a glut of gorgeous ale houses are within crawling distance of Victoria Park.

However, as with most upmarket London suburbs you’re going to come across your fair share of la-di-da media middle managers, overpriced food and tardy service. The latter is spectacularly true of the Empress’ illustrious next door neighbours at Fish House – where I’ve waited over half an hour before being served without a hint of a smile.

However the Empress stands head and shoulders above every other establishment in the area. A fantastic food menu is complimented by the intricately art-deco interior, resplendent with grand colonial murals and quirky chandeliers.

The lemon sole was nothing short of spectacular; its crushed potato and in-season asparagus accoutrements work perfectly with the subtle Hollandaise and an added side of cauliflower (real) cheese. The brunette had trout; melted in her and my mouth while still exuding all the tastes of the North Sea. Service was just the right side of smiley, without being smarmy, and quick, too – take that, Fish House: better decor, service – and fish! And for the same price, just over a tenner a meal.

It may not be the most beloved of bank balances, but the Empress of India is more than a gastropub; it’s a first date.

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The Empress of India | Bars, Restaurants (Modern Cuisine) | Main meal £ 12.00
130 Lauriston Road | East | +442085335123
09:00 – 23:00 daily

Following on from The Holly Bush (check The Holly Bush article) and in the category of “Pubs I Like at the Top of Steep Hills”, comes The Flask in Highgate.

A beautiful ‘old English’ pub in picturesque Highgate Village and dating back to the 18th century, The Flask has more character than you can shake a Highgate Wood stick at. It has a warren-like layout, with little rooms on varying levels and cosy corners in every direction. My favourite in wintertime is a little candlelit cavern tucked away in the corner, you almost feel like you should be crawling into it. If stories are to be believed, infamous highwayman Dick Turpin once hid in the cellar here too.

As well as being a cosy hill-top retreat, The Flask is also very popular in the summer. There is a large garden at the front with plenty of seating, which is filled with post-work drinkers, families, and young and old, soaking up the sun in the leafy surroundings. It does tend to get very busy on the weekends, but it’s definitely worth a bit of patience to get a seat and enjoy a warm summer’s evening with a pint. There are also patio heaters and a covered area, should the Great British Summer live up to its rather unreliable reputation!

If you haven’t had your fill with a wander round the Village and a drink at here. Highgate Cemetry (check the Highgate Cemetery article) is also a five minute walk down the hill and well worth a visit.

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The Flask | Bars | Pint from £ 3.20
77 Highgate West Hill, Highgate | North-West | +442083487346
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30 | Food served 12:00 – 22:00 daily

At the south-west tip of the Heath, is a vibrant pub with a gastro ambiance where you can rest your feet after hours of throwing a stick (according to my fellow Spotter, Ben Pendrey says). The Freemasons Arms can be quite posh to someone’s taste but it does offer a cosy atmosphere and a selection of unique and yummy cocktails! Its interiors do fit in nicely with its surroundings as well as its sharply-dressed clientele. There is no dress code but one might feel out-of-place when you’ve just wrestled with your dog on the grounds of the Heath. Unless your dog is a chihuahua, of course.

Kidding aside, this pub is an okay place to hang about especially if you live in the area. Not only can you sample their wide selection of wines and spirits but you can also fill your tummies with superb and freshly cooked food. And if you have something to celebrate, you can never be overdressed for a helping of fine dining and a bottle of fizz.

If you don’t live in the area (i.e. those who live south of the river), The Freemasons Arms is a recommended spot for those lazy weekends where you catch up with friends at a fresh and relaxing location. As for the occasional visitor, it is the perfect companion to your complete your trip to the Hampstead area.

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The Freemason’s Arms | Bars, Restaurants (European) | Pint £ 3.00
32 Downshire Hill | North-West | +442074336811
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 23:00 (22:00 for food), Sun 12:00 – 22:30 (21:00 for food)

One of the best ways to spend an afternoon on a cold London day is tucked away in an old pub. And for some true old London charm go to the George Inn in Borough. This pub was rebuilt in 1676 after a fire swept through it, however despite it not being the original building, ye old London is still very present in this beautiful old Inn.

The George Inn was once a coaching terminus, and it’s rumoured that Charles Dickens used to frequent the middle bar which was previously a coffee shop. So you don’t get much more ‘old England’ than this little place.

Hidden down in one of the many alleyways in Borough, the George welcomes you with a huge cobble stoned courtyard area which is always full of punters during summer. Once inside you are greeted by the low beamed ceilings and cosy little rooms, complimented by dimmed lighting. The only downside is that seating is limited inside and it can get very crowded, so best to get in early.

The George also makes its own Ale (logically called George’s Ale) and has a range of other beers and alcohol to send you on your merry way. The licensed restaurant serves up the usual pub favourites such as roasts, mushroom and Guinness pie and a pretty good cheese platter.

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The George Inn | Bars, Restaurants (Pub)
77 Borough High Street | Central | +442074072056
Mon – Sat 11:00 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22.30

The Hawley Arms pub in Camden has been in the headlines for a few things over the last year. Firstly, it has been highly publicised as being Amy Winehouse’s local, however these days you’re more likely to run into Peaches Geldof on a night out than the famous Miss Winehouse. And secondly, it burnt down in 2008, devastating dedicated Hawley patrons. However it has since been re-built and is as popular as ever.

The interior is warm and cosy and tastefully decorated with a small upstairs area and a roof terrace. Whilst the music ranges from indie to classics such as the Beatles and attracts a mix of indie Camden alternative types- think skinny jeans, messy hair and edgy fashion.

The odd celebrity or band member can be seen floating around the place, however unfortunately this also means that it attracts those who think they are celebrities or in a band! Therefore as some of the clientele desperately try to appear to be effortlessly cool, the Hawley can be a tad on the pretentious side. However, the great music and the interesting mix of artistic people makes for an enjoyable night out, even if it’s just to people watch.

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The Hawley Arms | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Snacks | Snacks £ 2.50
2 Castlehaven Road | North-West | +4402074285979
Sun – Thu 12:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 01:00

One of my all time favourite London pubs; either after a Hampstead Heath afternoon jaunt, or for an evening drink or two in front of the fire. I even dragged my university Romantic Literature group 3/4 of a mile up the hill for a post class excursion tipple once (well, they asked if anyone knew of a nice pub!).

The Holly Bush is happily situated on one of Hampstead’s picture-perfect residential streets, tucked away moments from the tube and the bustle of the high street. The building, dating from the 1640s, has been a pub since the early 19th century, and still retains many of its original features – etched-glass windows, gas lamps and oak flooring – and with them an old fashioned charm that is becoming increasingly rare. I love to settle down with a drink in one of the worn, oak booths in the front bar, or perch next to the fire in the adjoining room on chilly days.

A wide selection of beers, wines and spirits are available along with a fine choice of ales. Reasonably priced food (mainly organic and locally sourced) is served in the bar areas and also in the equally charming dining room upstairs. Try one of the excellent pies on offer, or my favourite, sausage and mash!

If you have the luxury of time, come in on a late winter’s afternoon, sit by the fire and pretend not to notice as the day slips away into evening and the gas lamps begin to glow.

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The Holly Bush | Bars, Restaurants (English) | Main from £ 7.50
22 Holly Mount, Hampstead | North-West | +4402074352892
Bar Mon – Sat 12:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30 | Food Mon – Fri 12:00 – 16:00 & 18:00 – 22:00, Sat 12:00 – 22:00, Sun 12:00 – 21:30

Unless you stumble upon this by accident it’s easy to miss the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), accessed by a simple doorway on The Mall amongst the rows and rows of white columns.  Established in 1947 by a collective of artists, poets and writers, it aims to further contemporary culture through a variety of artforms.  A special ‘ICA at 60′ season is celebrating their, not surprisingly, 60th year.

On a mission to break down the boundaries between artists and the public, the ICA offers endless art exhibitions of great creativity and fun; two small cinema screens that regularly show great documentaries and world cinema; talks and events on multitude of cultural and artistic subjects; DJs and live performance in the ICA Bar, which also serves some tasty snack food.

The ICA shop has a cool selection of irregular and kooky magazines, books, DVDs and those really nice Moleskin notebook things.

On a charge of extreme laziness I want to leave it to you to browse the website here, to really get a vision for what the ICA offers, I’ll let your taste will guide you; a mind-boggling amount of entertainment awaits, look at all the links to the website I’ve managed to dig up already! Check times for individual events, exhibitions and movies.

It’s so easy just to drop in on a weekend, without it feeling like an ordeal of endurance that visits to some of the larger museums can be sometimes.  If you live in London permanently, why not become a member, at £35 a year it’s reduces the ticket prices to some seriously low prices

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The ICA | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks
12 Carlton House Terrace | Central | +442079303647
Mon – Wed 12:00 – 23:00, Thu – Sat 12:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 21:00

Maybe it’s the location (parked just a few minutes’ walk from Electricity Showrooms) or maybe it’s the shady surroundings, but Hoxton’s excellent Macbeth is still left well alone by the masses and swooped upon almost exclusively by rag-tag fancies living down the road.

But we should all be going there, for this ignominious backwater is home to some of the best live nights a fiver can bring; if you can ignore the boudoirish scarlet decoration for long enough. There seem to be hundreds of buzzing nights laid on, the best couple being Bronze Club, a feverish fealty to the best new acts run by pantheons of pub pop Golden Silvers (Gold, Silver, Bronze – geddit?); and Plan B Magazine (the best British sound rag), where great young artists can be seen in their prime for less than a pint five minutes away. The drinks ain’t too expensive, if not the best in town.

So instead of settling for all that glitters on Shoreditch’s glam high street, take a stroll towards the light and sample some genuine Hoxton heroin chic.

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The Macbeth | Bars, Music | Entrance from £ 0.00
70 Hoxton Street | East
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 12:00 – 00:00

Slightly grisly history aside though, The Magdala is a great place to go for a relaxing evening drink, or for one of their popular Sunday roasts. There is also a menu of very decent Modern British and European food and bar snacks available, with prices being about par for a Hampstead gastro pub and a respectable selection of beers and real ales.

I particularly like the layout of the pub, which is divided into a traditional snug bar to the right, and then a more open larger room to the left, warmly decorated, with a more dining-orientated set up and larger tables. Although saying this, it is just as suitable for a daytime coffee or evening pint as it is for a meal. The former is where you’ll find some of the older, locals setting the world to rights; the latter is frequented by the usual Hampstead crowd and tends to attract a lot of families on the weekends.

Hampstead Heath is also a stone’s throw away and comes in very handy for walking off that roast!

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The Magdala | Bars | Pint from £ 3.20
2a South Hill Park, Hampstead | North-West | +442074352503
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 00:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30

No building in history may have had as bad press as the Millennium Dome – sorry – the O2. But look at it without reeling at all those taxpayers’ pennies and you’ve got to admit – it’s a hell of a sight. London’s most maligned tourist site may be a white elephant, but it’s no lame duck nowadays thanks to the revamp O2 and pals have given it in the last few years.

Name a gastro-pub or popular restaurant chain and it’s here. Name a generic public entertainment facility and it’s here. What’s not to like? Well, everything I suppose – but there are some huge draws to the dome.

Firstly, at night it’s a great fit-inducing menagerie of LEDS, neon and modernism in extremis which at the very least is worth a short ‘ooh’ or ‘ahh’ to the beholder. Secondly, once inside the cavernous dutch cap (and trust me it is HUGE), you can spend a veritably wholesome evening at comparably little expensive when you look at central London’s myriad overpriced, underachieving tourist traps.

Thirdly and waywardly most importantly is its new-found status as London’s premier uber-gig venue. I recently went on a whim, without ticket to see Tennessee’s tremendous Kings of Leon. No chance? No way. £25 on the door – which, as any big gig lover will tell you – is a fair bit under the asking price. And oddly, for a place as big as this, the atmosphere was every bit as tremendous.

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The O2 | Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants | Free
Peninsula Square | South-East
Mon – Sat till 23:00, Sun til 22:00

Also a favourite haunt of my East-End based friends; you’d be forgiven for thinking the existence of this place was a myth on first trying to find it. This much loved pub sits on its own, as the result of WWII bombing, in Mile End Ecology Park on the edge of a canal. Approaching in the dark, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might be closed too, as the low lighting glows dimly through the opaque windows.

But open it is, and once inside you are treated to an interior that has barely altered for nigh on half a century: bronze wallpaper; antique plates, red curtains and many pictures of big-haired local jazz musicians (I’m hoping from the 80s!). I love that they still put ashtrays on all the tables, in some show of defiance, even if they can’t actually be used. Old school jazz bands play live every weekend, when the place is packed full of old and young, having a good old-fashioned time of it.

They say patience is a virtue, and it’s a virtue you’ll need here as the bar man or lady potters to and fro, getting your drinks. It’s very fitting that the drinks are rung up on the most old-fashioned till I’ve ever seen in use. This place ain’t gonna go changing for no one, but that’s what makes it so great, and if you accept that and go with it, you’ll have a grand time.

My parting tip: don’t ask for tap water!

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The Palm Tree | Bars | Pint from £ 2.40
127 Grove Road | East
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 02:00, Sun 12:00 – 01:00

I’ve been living in London for quite a while now, and there are thousands of places people meet to start a night out. But everyone I’ve ever met seems to pick the same spot for a bit of pre-inebriation pints – The Punch & Judy in Covent Garden.

And there are a number of reasons why. First is its location: smack bang in the centre of the west end, on top of Covent Garden market and just a stone’s throw from a good old fashioned central London bar crawl (start here; move to Walkabout then round the corner…). Being a stone’s throw away from Covent Garden tube means even the most uninitiated will find their way, which helps a lot in this city.

Second is the setting. Perched atop the market and overlooking the monolithic, if slightly weathered temple opposite (with handy massive clock), the P&J’s picturesque veranda bar is a great place to take in the weather (on that rare occasion), and a good selection of good beers breaks the Fosters chain for a couple. You can even watch the street entertainers on the cobbles below, getting a commentator’s view of fire-eaters, jugglers and the like (don’t actually commentate though, got me into a spot of bother once). The music isn’t even that bad.

The Punch & Judy is the best place to start your foray into Soho, Piccadilly, Chinatown or wherever. So send a text around and start a bit earlier. It’s worth it.

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The Punch & Judy | Bars
Unit 40 The Market, The Piazza | Central | +442073790923
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 23:00, Fri & Sat 11:00 – 23:30, Sun 12:00 – 22:30

My friends and I affectionately call this our local, because while it isn’t around the corner from us, it’s certainly one of the nicest pubs in our area. Inside, a collection of wooden tables and and cushioned chairs are lit by mismatched chandeliers. Palm trees covered in fairy lights and massive mirrors in elaborate frames add to the red burgundy decor.

Traditional tasty pub food is served at reasonable prices and a carnival-like old fashioned popcorn machine provides a steady flow of free popcorn, placed strategically around the circular bar in large bowls for anyone to take.

My favourite part is the beer garden at the back. Half the space is covered and there is plenty of seating. The covered area has comfortable leather sofas you sink in to. Sitting outside in winter is fine too as there is a very efficient heating lamp system.

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The Regent | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Pub) | Glass of wine £ 3.25
5 Regent Street | North-West | +442089692184
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 10:30

The Rocket belongs to the Scream chain of pubs dotted round town, so I’ll tell you what to expect: gaudy decor, students everywhere and staffed by the living dead. Not the best introduction to a Spotted site, but allow me to continue. Because while Euston’s The Rocket may not be the best example of a traditional English bar, it has some significant draws for the intrepid traveller on a shoe-string.

Firstly there’s the food. Not the best by a long shot, but cheap(ish) and massively filling (try the burgers AND NOTHING ELSE). Then there’s the beer. Cheap as they come, you can rely on a Scream to bag a few basement pints for a huge night out. There may not be the best selection (no ales), and you’d be more likely to find bubbles in the Neverland ranch – but you’ll pay about a third of the price of some nearby places.

Then there’s Saturday night. Every week The Rocket does pound-a-pint – a minor miracle in London – and pretty well, too. The music, although cheesy, is vibrant and the clientele, surprisingly, don’t want to take your face off with a Becks bottle.

Get in early and you’ll miss the student rush – get in early enough and you might stay there for the student rush Anyhow The Rocket is alarmingly nice to visit and essential for those with less cash than an Icelandic banker.

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The Rocket | Bars, Snacks | Nearly all beers £ 2.50
120 Euston Road | Central | +442073880021
11:00 – 00:00 daily

&s

Quite the local’s pub this, and also conveniently my local pub! This was the first place I ventured to with my friends after moving to the area and it became one of our favourites thereafter.

This place has a reputation for its great atmosphere, lively characters and interesting mix of punters. You can never be quite sure as you walk through the door whether you’ll see some local celeb or a crazy old man with his dog (these can occasionally be combined into one person). The eclectic theme also runs to the interior, which is full of knick-knacks: old photos; vintage signs; second hand books; branches (!); and Sistine-esque frescoes on the ceilings; a roaring fire…I could go on. There are many other attempts to copy this kind of shabby, bric-a-brac style, but the Steele’s is one of the originals and certainly one of the best.

The pub is large, but broken up into so many nooks, snugs and corners that it never really feels like it. There is also a paved beer garden, which is great for summer. A large, more open room upstairs plays host to quiz night on a Thursday and the Monkey Business Comedy Club on a Saturday. There are also various live music events on other nights.

A wide range of beers are served, as well as a good selection of real ales and if you feel peckish there’s some tasty, affordable Thai food on offer too.

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The Sir Richard Steele | Bars | Pint from £ 2.80
97 Haverstock Hill | North-West | +442074831261
Mon – Sat 11:00 – midnight

Located south east of central London and perched on the Thames is Greenwich, a village like area of London which is rich in British maritime history. Whilst Greenwich is now more synonymous for its pubs, restaurants, markets and of course the meridian line, evidence of its maritime history can be seen everywhere you look.

Come the weekend, Greenwich is flooded with Londoners and tourists alike, so at some point refuge and a glass of wine is needed! And to offer you that protection is the Trafalgar pub, which is tucked away along the river and located on the Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site.

The Trafalgar, built in 1837 and bursting with history was also famously one of Charles Dickens’ favourite watering holes.  And despite being over 170 years old,  it has maintained its Victorian charm, with wooden floors, cosy fire places and large bay windows facing out onto the river, making a perfect hiding place on a dark and cold London winter’s day.

The Trafalgar also has a small but charming restaurant and the main pub serves up all the usual favourites including their specialty – fish and chips.

So next time you’re in Greenwich be sure you stop off at the Trafalgar to really get a feel of Greenwich’s past.

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The Trafalgar | Bars, Relaxing, Snacks | Mains £ 13.00
Park Row | South-East | +442088582909
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 23:00, Fri- Sat 12:00 – 00:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30

The Tricycle has been running since 1980 and despite being in the northwest, far from the glamorous West End theatre hub, it has become one of London’s most adored and respected theatres. Ten years ago a one-screen cinema was added on and in 2001 the Creative Space was built for educational workshops.

The theatre’s directors try to present work which reflects the cultural diversity of its neighborhood Kilburn, a heavily immigrant area and has put on plays by Irish, African-Caribbean and Asian writers.

The venue also puts on events such as the Obama Inauguration Party, where they will screen the ceremony live in the cinema with American beer, pretzels and cheerleaders.

The cinema kiosk serves ice cream and candy and it has a bar/café which has a simple menu of pasta, sandwiches and jacket potatoes. There is a separate eating area which doubles as an exhibition space. On Mondays cinema tickets are only £5.

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The Tricycle | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Theaters
269 Kilburn High Road | North-West | +442073281000
Box office Mon – Sat 10:00 – 21:00, Sun 14:00 – 21:00
Café & bar Mon – Sun 12:00 – 23:00 (12:00 – 20:00 for food)

The Gordon Ramsay name is often affiliated with a very expensive menu and a decent wait list to get a table. However the famous four-letter-word chef also owns a string of reasonably priced pubs, one of which is the beautiful Warrington in Maida Vale.

The Warrington was first built in 1857 and is characterised by its lavish interior and exterior. The downstairs section of the pub has been beautifully restored and is as equally as sophisticated as it is cosy. Enjoy the unique selection of bar snacks including a traditional Sunday roast, sausage rolls, fish cakes or a chocolate and marshmallow brownie. And of course, the bar is well stocked with a large variety of traditional real ales, bottled beer, ciders and wine.

For those wanting a more upscale affair, book a table at the restaurant above the pub. The restaurant is more of what you would expect from the F Word chef, with crisp white linen table cloths and smartly dressed wait staff serving delicious fresh food. Whilst slightly more expensive than your average pub lunch, a visit to the restaurant will not break the bank and is perfect for those wanting the experience of going to a Gordon Ramsay restaurant however without spending your weekly wages. The reasonable prices also justifies a few more drinks in the gorgeous pub below!

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The Warrington | Bars, Restaurants (British) | A la carte menu £ 18.50
93 Warrington Crescent | North-West | +442075927960
Mon – Thu 17:00 – 22:30, Fri 12:00 – 14:30 & 17:30 – 22:30
Sat 12:00 – 15:00 & 18:00 – 22:30, Sun 12:00 – 21:00 | Bar 12:00 – 21:00 daily

To be honest, Bermondsey Street in general needs a very loud mention. The cute thoroughfare is just a five to ten minute walk from London Bridge station but instantly feels like you’ve been transported into another town altogether. The insular feeling is both eerie and welcoming, and there are plenty of great places to spend the evening – not least The Garrison, a full-blown gastropub serving excellent food.

But opposite is The Woolpack, a rare find nowadays in London in that it seems to fully embrace both the past and the future of the public house without ending up like an anachronistic Jackson Pollock disaster. Beautiful old pews and tiled walls sit perfectly with the modernist lighting and bar; the wallpaper could have either been taken straight from a Limehouse opium den or a swanky Mayfair apartment. And this is its beauty. The drinks may be steep (£3.70 for a Staropramen) but the food is priced very well, and really excites. A very open menu, with various titbits if you’re not in the mood for a full-blown meal.

I think the thing I like the most, then, about The Woolpack is that it manages to sit astride the precipice between gastropub and local drinking hole perfectly. There could be tons of pretension with all the glorious decor and the adventurous cuisine, but there really is none. A great place to share a chat and a drink with friends. Check out Bermondsey Street, and make sure you come to The Woolpack – there’s even a nice garden if the sun ever shines on London!

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The Woolpack | Bars | Main meal £ 8 – 12
98 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3UB | Central | +442073579269
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30

Now, I’ve been doing a bit of work in Harrow, north London, and was taken by a friend to his local, a tidy little pub on a corner. It’s the Trinity. A brightly painted exterior beckons the faithful, through heavy wooden doors gilded with iron, to rest under swathes of red curtain and gothic arches. Taking the afternoon service is your minister, the affable Mr Bob Moore, serving his flock from the altar.Bar service is second to none, with attention you would have to pay dearly for elsewhere. The Guinness is consistently the smoothest I have encountered if Bob the barman’s not too busy at the bar, he might offer to bring your pint to where you’re sitting, maybe with a complimentary bowl of peanuts.A free buffet is available every Friday from 5pm. Beers sell at an average of £2.60 a pint, and wines and spirits are slightly less by the standard measure.Upstairs transforms at about 21:00 into a live music venue, us old folks drift away and the students pile in from nearby colleges. Artists such as Kate Nash, Alabama 3 and Scouting for Girls have all been discovered under this very roof. Specialising in indie rock bands, you will variably find rock, metal, alt and singer/songwriter performers. DJs also play soul, breaks & beats, and underground hip hop. Just check the website here for listings.

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Trinity | Bars, Music, Snacks | Pint +/- £ 2.60
378-380 Station Road | North-West | +442084249888
Sun – Thu 13:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sat 13:00 – 03:00

Every Wednesday night, the West End Comedy Club showcases some of the best stand-up comedians currently on the pro-amateur comedy circuit in London, including previews of Edinburgh Festival shows! Yes, you get to see them first all for just 5 of your good English pounds ladies and gentlemen!

Located in a quiet side street near Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, a secret band of those in the know gather on the very top floor of The Comedy Pub in what can only be described as a penthouse suite of mirth, a pigeon loft of feathers to tickle your fancy. Oo-er as Kenneth Williams would say. See the Facebook page for details of upcoming acts.

Hosted by the MC, Mr Paul Late, who describes himself as the “bastard son of Harry Hill“, this is a fantastic opportunity to catch acts before they get famous, win comedy awards, and then only appear at hideously more expensive comedy clubs before prostituting themselves to TV comedy news and general knowledge quizzes, followed by a drug-addled death in middle-age. That’s showbusiness folks!

Remember that with any stand-up comedy, some material may offend, especially the curtains, that material is absolutely disgusting.

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West End Comedy Club | Bars, Theaters, Festivals & events | Ticket £ 5.00
7 Oxendon Street | Central
Wed 20:30 – 23:00

To look at it from the outside you’d be forgiven you’d stepped back in time to a Victorian workhouse. And inside the theme rarely strays; with chipped wood panels and oddly ornate lighting it could well be a seedy sixties strip joint.

Well, you’d be right, kind of. By week Ye Ole Axe – beloved and be-hated in equal measure by its Shoreditch siblings – is still an institution of dubious reputation (it has naked ladies in it). But it’s at the weekend when it gets interesting. For the uninhibited pound-in-the-jar madness that rules Monday through Thursday equates to one of the most manic, subtle-as-a-hammer nights you’ll find this side of Solom.

Friday night means Love Me Do – an endless stream of rock n’ roll hits from the sixties and beyond, where shoegazers meet drunken fools in a heady mix of dancing and all-round fun. Think Beatles, Stones, Elvis, Holly. No nonsense, no nuance.

Saturday night, however, brings Rockabilly Rebel – to my knowledge the only night in central London you can while the hours to The Trashmen or The Cramps all night. An anomalous homage to sweat and switchblade haircuts, the place drags in all those who’ve missed the Cargo or 333 boat. So lower your standards – and your hair – and you’ll be shakin’ the twist quicker than Chuck Berry can say Rock n’ Roll.

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Ye Olde Axe | Bars, Music | Entrance £ 5.00
69 Hackney Road | East
Fri 00:30 – 06:00, Sat 23:00 – 06:00

I’ve decided to give Ye Olde Swiss Cottage a mention here due, in part, to its sheer randomness factor. I’ve been past this place more times than I can count since I’ve been in London, and yet, have only fairly recently ventured inside.

This pub had always sparked my curiosity, built in the style of a Swiss Chalet in 1804 and now perched on an island in the middle of the many lanes of the Finchley Road. It sticks out, well…like a Swiss chalet in the middle of an ‘A’ road, and I was intrigued as to what and who could be inside.

Once inside, the thing that makes this pub stand out in my mind is its bizarre mix of drinkers. There is a very strong contingent of die-hard locals who have probably been coming here for decades and a fair amount of students from nearby language schools and drama school, mixed in with people like me who are popping in for a drink or two before an evening out. When you first come in it does seem like an odd mix, but somehow it seems to work, and on a busy night the chatter and bustle from this combination reverberates nicely round the place.

The pub is owned by Samuel Smiths brewery, so all the drinks served are own brand and at low prices. Give it a try for the cheap drinks, interesting atmosphere and Swiss lodge novelty factor!

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Ye Olde Swiss Cottage | Bars | Pint from £ 1.99
98 Finchley Road | North-West
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30