156 Best Bars in England

This fine pub, popular with academics from the nearby British Museum and King's College London, is an exquisite museum piece of a Victorian interior, with glazed tiles, mosaic floors, and intricately engraved glass screens that divide the bar area into cozy little annexes. There's an excellent selection of real ales on tap, too.

A mixture of vintage and avant-garde cabaret and burlesque is on offer at this stylish nightclub, which has a distinctly 1920s flavor. It's open Thursday through Sunday and can get very busy, so booking ahead is advisable.

In a quiet corner of Mayfair, the cozy little Punch Bowl dates to 1729 and the interior remains steadfastly old-fashioned, with a painting of Churchill, candles, polished dark wood, and engraved windows. Try the place's own ale, made specially in Scotland by Caledonian. A dining area at the rear buzzes at lunchtime with locals who come for the upscale English pub food, and there's a fancier restaurant upstairs.

Queen Charlotte, the wife of "mad" King George III, is said to have stored food for him here in the basement while he was being treated nearby. The interior of this tiny pub preserves its antique feel, with dark wood and old posters, and in the evenings fills up quickly with office workers, medics, and students from the nearby hospitals. It's located on the corner of pleasant Queen Square; if the weather's good, grab one of the outside tables.

Pub aficionados will relish the friendly, unspoiled ambience of the independently owned Raven, a quintessentially English spot for a pie and a pint. There is always a selection of 10 cask ales, plus many craft beers. 

There's been a tavern with this name on this site since 1788, but the interior of the current pub dates back to the 19th century; its specially commissioned engraved glass panels and dark wood detailing are a perfect example of Victorian pub decor. You'll find a few wines available by the glass, but the star here, as is the case at most traditional pubs, is the cask beer. The leather banquettes fill up fast when the after-work crowd descends. For those on the hunt for something to soak up that ale, they also serve freshly toasted sandwiches with fancy fillings like pastrami and oak-smoked cheddar, jalapeños, pickled gherkins, and American mustard. Or, if you're after something quintessentially British, opt for one of Mr. Barrick's pork pies—all food is available only between noon and 5 pm, Monday to Saturday.

Given its proximity to both the Houses of Parliament and Downing Street, it's no surprise that this traditional old boozer should be so popular with politicos of all stripes. Portraits of former prime ministers—several of whom also drank here—line the walls, and the bar room is one of a handful of premises outside the Palace of Westminster fitted with a "division bell" that recalls members of Parliament to the chamber for important votes.

Perched on top of Richmond Hill, The Roebuck has perhaps the best view of any pub in London. The most sought-after seats are the benches found directly across the road, which look out over the Thames as it winds its way into the countryside below. Friendly and surprisingly unpretentious, given its lofty surrounds, it is well worth the long climb up the hill from the center of Richmond.

Both the terrific views over the rooftops of Shoreditch and the California-chic decor make this bar at the One Hundred Hotel the ultimate location for a sunset. Tables on the terrace are first-come-first-served.

This 1840s former railway terminus, onetime gin warehouse, and legendary 1970s music venue in Chalk Farm now hosts a varied program of live music, circus, cabaret, spoken word, and even a bit of Lucha Libre (Mexican wrestling). Usually there's a genre-busting assortment of new and familiar musical acts, most of them cult favorites ranging from world and rap to electronica and indie, along with big names like Alison Goldfrapp, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Tricky. Standing tickets offer good value. There's a nice restaurant on the first floor, and in the summer, the terrace bar is transformed into a popular "urban beach," complete with sand, a retro bar, palm trees, and outdoor film screenings.

This sceney bar in the Trinity Square shopping mall has an extensive menu of craft beers and classic cocktails, but the main attractions are the games: Ping-Pong, pool, a nine-hole mini-golf course, shuffleboard, and beer pong. Slots can be booked in advance (from £8 per half hour), but a couple of Ping-Pong tables are open for walk-ins. Another location on Merrion Street also features karaoke and duck-pin bowling.

This former Victorian pub near the cricket grounds has been hosting drag acts since the days of World War II, with Princess Diana reportedly visiting in the late 1980s disguised as a man and accompanied by Freddy Mercury. LBGTQ+-oriented entertainment is still its mainstay, including themed discos, Miley Cyrus tribute nights, and traditional drag performance extravaganzas, some featuring alums from RuPaul's Drag Race. The atmosphere is welcoming, inclusive, and fun.

There's not a lot of room to spare at this neighborhood wine bar a little way off the main drag in Shoreditch, but that's part of the charm. Squeezing past your fellow drinkers to find a spot at the bar tiled with sidewalk skylights or at a table against a bare brick wall feels like arriving at a friend's party. At over 300 bins long, the wine list can seem intimidating, but the staff is happy to steer you in the right direction, particularly with the extensive range of skins and orange wines.

One of Manchester's, if not the country's, top cocktail spots, Schofield's is a must. Ideal for pre-theater drinks or a late nightcap, the bar serves up masterfully mixed drinks in the glorious Art Deco confines of the Grade II–listed Sunlight House.

Originally established in 1602 to cater to Dutch sailors (the seven stars refer to the seven medieval provinces of the Netherlands), this charming, award-winning hostelry somehow survived the Great Fire of London to become the little gem it is today. Located at the rear of the Royal Courts of Justice, you can often find barristers and their clients celebrating or drowning their sorrows. Scrumptious pub food is also served.

This female-focused basement club, part of the popular Ku group of LGBTQ+ venues, is a standout on the Soho scene. It welcomes a mostly lesbian and nonbinary LGBTQ+ crowd for informal cocktails early in the evening, followed by dancing—of the pop and house variety—later on. The vibe is fun, open, and positive, especially on the last Thursday of each month when She Soho hosts London's only drag-king open-mike night. Just note that unaccompanied men are not allowed.

A tavern since 1755, this cozy spot has a friendly atmosphere, fine ales, and highly regarded homemade pub grub.

Big-name acts mean this intimate venue often gets packed to the rafters, but that only adds to the clubby vibe. There are also club nights that range from hip-hop to indie, vintage fairs, plus a menu of well-executed comfort food.

Known as The House of Tudor when it was built in the late-15th-century, this half-timbered pub has since been known by many names, and its colorful past includes being used by Royalists to store ammunition and explosives during the English Civil War. Its wood paneling, oak beams, and open brick fireplaces provide a real sense of history. There are allegedly five resident ghosts, one with a ghost cat who walks alongside her. The sandwiches are good, and staffers are friendly.

Ideal as a refueling point when you're hiking over Hampstead Heath, this atmospheric oak-beamed pub has been serving customers since 1585 and comes with a gorgeous garden that was immortalized in Dickens's Pickwick Papers. Other notable former patrons include infamous highwayman Dick Turpin as well as local resident Keats and fellow poets Shelley, Blake, and Byron. Fresh takes on traditional pub food and a wide selection of cask beer ensure a crowd, especially on Sunday. And if you've brought your furry friend along, there's a doggy bath in the garden.

The Victorian Gothic interior of this bar, café, and arts center combo hosts intimate music gigs, art exhibitions, workshops, and more. The food is Caribbean-influenced, and the atmosphere, especially in the outdoor courtyard, is friendly and relaxed. Just note that the kitchen is closed on Sunday.

Although the number of bells in its name has varied between 8 and 12, depending on how many bells were used by neighboring Christ Church Spitalfields, this pub retains its original mid-Victorian interior and tiles, including a frieze depicting the area's French Huguenot silk-weaving tradition on the north wall and particularly fine floral tiling on two others. Urban legend says that Jack the Ripper's third victim, Annie Chapman, had a drink here before meeting her gory end. The pub is also depicted in Alan Moore's acclaimed graphic novel From Hell.

Specializing in low-intervention "natural wines" (organic, unfiltered, biodynamic, and sustainably produced with minimal added ingredients), Terroirs wine bar has an unusually large selection of 290 wines from small French and artisan winemakers. Red, white, sparkling and macerated orange and amber wines are served along with delicious, relatively simple wine-friendly dishes—charcuterie, tapas, cheese, and more substantial French-inspired dishes—at a bar and bare oak tables surrounded by whitewashed walls and wooden floors.

A traditional English pub, with bunches of hops hanging from the ceiling and a fire crackling in the hearth on a cold winter's day, the Thomas Becket is a convivial kind of place. Food is available, but most people just come for the ale and the atmosphere.

With its excellent vista of the Thames, there is no more handsomely situated pub in Greenwich than the Trafalgar Tavern. Open at 11 am every day, it's still as grand a place as it ever was to have a pint and a quick tasty meal.

A music venue since 1954, this is the last survivor of the coffeehouse scene of the 1950s and '60s that spearheaded Britain's folk revival (it also inspired the Los Angeles music club of the same name). Among the notables who have performed here either at the beginning of their careers or at informal after-gig shows are Charlie Watts (before he joined the Rolling Stones), Bob Dylan (under the name Blind Boy Grunt), Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, and Jimi Hendrix, along with folk legends Sandy Denny and Burt Jansch. More recent headliners include Florence Welch, Paolo Nutini, Ed Sheeran, and Adele. The menu leans toward British and French-inspired comfort food.

Off Holywell Street, the Turf Tavern has a higgledy-piggledy collection of little rooms and outdoor spaces where you can enjoy a quiet drink and inexpensive pub food.

This cozy pub, dating from at least 1823, serves authentic ales and traditional food all day.

Located in the eye-catching Palace of Arts in Exhibition Park, this excellent little microbrewery was founded in 2000. The taproom is open to visitors from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening. Regular events are held here, too, from live gigs to food festivals.

Like any London neighborhood, Mayfair has its fair share of pubs but few can compare to the charm and location of Ye Grapes. Poised in the heart of the delightfully quaint Shepherd Market, the place sells itself almost entirely on atmosphere alone. The bar serves a comfortingly familiar list of ales, beers, and wines—and there's an excellent Thai food menu—but it is the village-style location and warm local crowd that warrant seeking it out when in need of liquid refreshment.