A guide to the best bars of Regent's Canal
Time for drinkies on the London Riviera
It's been dubbed the London Riviera and whilst - even with the best will and a huge love of our capital city - it's hard to compare it favourably to the French Riviera... if you catch it on a beautiful sunny day it really is a magical place to while away an afternoon.
And what's the one thing that can make all that whiling even more magical? Alcohol, of course. Alcohol makes everything more magical. Apart from plane flight. And spinal surgery.
So, let us introduce you to our pick of the bars in and around Regent's Canal...
Cool Hackney Wick location overlooking the canal? Tick. Warehouse space that doubles as art gallery? Tick. Furniture made from recycled materials? Tick. Pizzas with fun toppings like Middle Eastern lamb to soak up the craft beers brewed in-house? Tick.
This Young’s pub was once a traditional boozer, now it’s a trendy gastropub on two floors complete withterrace. Craft beers include Greenwich Meantime and Camden Hells, and if the teensy terrace is full you can grab your drinks and perch on the edge of the water.
The Towpath Café on De Beavoir Crescent is a local treasure. It’s loved for its good coffee, comforting food and canalside seating, some of which is on a floating pontoon. Although the café is housed inside four concrete bunkers most of the tables are unprotected from the elements, so bear in mind it’s not open between December and February.
On sunny evenings this Camden pub is packed thanks to its pretty beer garden, made even more appealing by the barbecue they going in the summer months. Walk by the canal to the other side of the bridge where there’s a mural depicting a scene from a jazz club, this marks the entrance to the basement club that runs on the first Friday of the month.
This large warehouse space is owned by club promoters Half Baked and comes with the added of kudos of having won an award for best local business. There’s comfort food (burgers, fish and chips, ribs), local beer, a covered terrace and a dancefloor.
This West London pub has joined forces with the London Brewers Alliance,so you’ll find a finely curated selection from Meantime, Kernel Brewery, Camden Town Brewery and more. As well as the waterside terrace there’s a real fireplace inside.
The very stylish Proud Archivist combines a gallery space, bar and restaurant all under one roof, a bit like its relative Proud (owner Alex Proud’s brother Hector is the founder). Thanks to their arty connections they host events like print fairs and have even seen someone by the name of Russell Brand turn up to perform.
Why travel to Venice when London has its very own picturesque floating neighbourhood? Upstairs is the Canal Café Theatre, while downstairs is an elegant gastropub with a real fireplace, waterside seating and a menu of classic British pub food and Sunday roasts. You won’t find that in Italy.
Toconoco
28 Hertford Road N1 5QT
Cafes & Coffee Shops
Photos
There’s no shortage of pubs by the Regent’s Canal, which makes this Japanese café on the Kingsland Basin all the more special. The child-friendly eatery specialises in healthy meat-free food and good coffee from Nude.
