The best pubs in Soho
... and there's a lot to choose from...
Make no mistake, there are a lot of pubs in Soho.
How do we know?
Research.
Head down, hard, dedicated research. At points - when stuff started spinning - we considered giving up on all the research and just fabricating this Best For list. But we're better than that All In London. So pint after pint, dry roasted after dry roasted we conducted our investigations...
From the traditional to the faddy, the cheap to the pricey, the anonymous to the glitzy - they're all here. If you're thinking of working your way through Soho's pubs, start with the best...
As a Samuel Smith pub you can be sure that you’ll always find good value at The John Snow on Broadwick Street. Aside from that, the interesting wooden interior on the ground floor is suitably old and you’ll be hard pressed to find a more comfortable lounge bar in Soho than the one that sits on the John Snow’s first floor.
The Old Coffee House is as unfussy and original as they come. Etched mirrors, brewery adverts and copper ornaments decorate the place and the pubs 18th century origins are only punctured by the presence of a few flat screens.
One of Soho’s most decadent pubs, The French House is a beauty. It is the thinking persons pub. Lager served by the half, Breton cider by the bottle and a vast wine list. Originally opened by a German gentleman (then known as The Wine House), the pub on Dean Street has long been a favourite of the capital’s artists and writers and you can still feel it. Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon were both regulars.
De Hems
11 Macclesfield Street W1D 5BW
Dutch pubs are few and far between in London and when you consider the range of beers available at De Hems that can only be a bad thing. Actually, the pub deals mainly in Belgian beers but what the hey! Think Duvel, Chimay, Triple Karmeliet and a range of pub food that is surprisingly food.
The Dog and Duck is a popular after work pub on Bateman Street with a killer quiz up its sleeve. On looks it’s a typical London pub, however, the clientele are a friendly bunch and if they’re not inside they’re spilling onto the pavement outside. It also maintains a good selection of real ale.
The Dog and Duck is a popular after work pub on Bateman Street with a killer quiz up its sleeve. On looks it’s a typical London pub, however, the clientele are a friendly bunch and if they’re not inside they’re spilling onto the pavement outside. It also maintains a good selection of real ale.
Located as it is, on Hanway Street, the wrong side of Oxford Street, Bradley’s Spanish Bar might not strictly be in Soho, but it’s pretty close. Seeing as it has been one the recipient of an All In London Venue of the Month award in the past we’re making an exception. A tiny ground floor complete with vinyl only jukebox leads down to a larger basement bar that fills up on weekends.
Trying to make it into the film business? Then you could do worse than heading to The Star and Garter in the evening. Dominated by postproduction workers, it has a good atmosphere and will let you spill onto the street with pint in hand – always a bonus. It only serves a generic selection of beers but still, a cosy little pub that won’t let you down.
Frequented by a mixture of hipsters, media darlings and market traders, The Endurance is a lot of fun. It has always been in possession of a good jukebox but only recently has it expanded its food menu into something worth visiting for. William Morris style prints on the walls, dark wooden furniture and leather benches add a touch of ye olde glamour to the place.
