London Oldest Pubs: Top 15 Places to Have a Pint
I love a good pint, and London‘s pub scene has no shortage of amazing bars to pop into. It seems like London has a monopoly on the best, most historical pubs. I mean, who doesn’t love a British pub?
But in reality, the secret is that none of them are actually as old as they claim. London has been burned down, bombed, and rebuilt so often that many of the “historic” pubs only date back to the 1700s!
Nonetheless, London’s oldest pubs still hold tons of character and are well worth a stop on your next visit to the UK. Here are the pubs worth the pint:
Oldest Pubs in London Map
London Oldest Pubs
London has no shortage of pubs claiming centuries of history, but only a handful actually feel old in the way you want them to.
Here are the places where you’ll want to stay for “just one more pint,” especially if you’re only staying the weekend.
1. The Mayflower, Rotherhithe — Best River Views
You have to duck to even make it into the Mayflower, tbh. It has all of the low beams, dark wood, and candles that make this feel like you stepped back into a Robin Hood-era.
Sit on the back patio. It is right along the Thames, and that makes for great people-watching as you drink your crisp pint.
Did you know? The pub changed its name in 1957 to honor the ship Mayflower because they claim that this stretch of river is where the pilgrims departed from!
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Uw5QdhyAbZGeYM5D6
What to Eat: You can never go wrong with fish and chips, and their homemade pies are warm and comforting.
What to Drink: A classic ale is always good here, but I love their mulled wine in the colder months.
Price Range: £15–£25 for mains, £6–£7 for a pint.
2. The George Inn, Southwark — Best Historic Atmosphere
If you want a pub that truly feels historic, The George Inn is your spot. It’s London’s last surviving galleried coaching inn, which means that horse-drawn coaches used to stop here for the night. You can still see exactly where travelers would have come and gone.
Did you know? Back when coaching inns were how people traveled from town to town, The George was one of dozens along this route through Southwark. Now, it’s the only one still standing.
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/i8cdZUTBAZNRmHDG8
What to Eat: The steak-and-ale pie is hearty and perfect after a long day of sightseeing.
What to Drink: They serve a great selection of ales, and their house brews are reliable.
Price Range: £16–£30 for mains, £6–£7 for a pint.
3. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street
Ye Old Cheshire Cheese (aside from the fact that I am obsessed with the name in general!) is a maze, which makes it even more fun. There are tons of small rooms and narrow staircases, making it perfect for a cozy corner to hideaway with a pint!
Did you know? This pub has vaulted cellars that sit on the ruins of a 13th-century monastery.
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4LZbdjxpDLW6bbFf8
What to Eat: Their cheese board is simple and delicious.
What to Drink: Samuel Smith ales are the way to go!
Price Range: £10–£20 for food, £4–£6 for pints.
4. The Spaniards Inn, Hampstead
The Spaniards Inn sits right on the edge of Hampstead Heath, making it feel like you’re not still in London at all! It has a cottage-like feel, with fireplaces and wooden beams and probably just as many dogs as there are people inside!
Did you know? During the 1780 Gordon Riots, the pub gave free drinks to rioters in an effort to calm them down before soldiers arrived. It actually worked! And prevented a bunch of damage to a nearby manor.
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ji33XB4G7aCFybEJ8
What to Eat: Their burgers and Sunday roasts are the standouts.
What to Drink: A Pimm’s on a sunny day or a London Pride when you want something classic.
Price Range: £17–£28 for mains, £6–£7.50 for pints.
5. The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden
This is a proper old-school London pub: busy, lively, and loud. It has a long history of literary visitors and old boxing matches!
Did you know? Back in the 1800s it earned the nickname “Bucket of Blood” because it was famous for bareknuckle boxing matches. The name has stuck long after the fights stopped!
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MUybduVnWYJTuGfU9
What to Eat: Their pies are delicious!
What to Drink: Fuller’s London Pride is my go-to here.
Price Range: £15–£25 for mains, £6–£7 for drinks.
6. The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping
This riverside pub leans into its nautical history, and the water views really are incredible. The Prospect of Whitby gets busy, but it’s worth waiting for a table, promise! This is the perfect pub to grab a long lunch in and enjoy the day.
Did you know? This riverside pub claims to date back to around 1520, and its original flagstone floor (or at least pieces of it) are reportedly still under your boots when you walk in. Hard to believe people have walked on the same stones for 400 years!
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/c9gqTSmLMwKpcp8m8
What to Eat: Their Sunday roast is a favorite, especially the beef.
What to Drink: They have a wide ale selection and a good gin-and-tonic menu.
Price Range: £17–£30 for mains, £6–£7 for drinks.
7. The Ten Bells, Spitalfields — Best True-Crime History Pub
This is one of my favorites on the list, simply because it is tied so closely to Jack the Ripper. Because of this, the Victorian interior has been left intact, making it such a cool atmosphere.
Did you know? The Ten Bells is connected to two Jack the Ripper Victims and actually used to be named “The Jack the Ripper” between 1976 and 1988.
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HNoi7jr9D6sBMuXu7
What to Eat: They do small plates, and the salt beef croquettes are especially good.
What to Drink: Gin-based cocktails!
Price Range: £12–£20 for food, £7–£12 for cocktails.
8. The Princess Louise, Holborn
The Princess Louise is stunning. It has Victorian tiles, etched glass, dark wood, and small divided areas so you can drink without seeing the rest of the room. People come just to look around before they order anything.
Did you know? The Princess Louise still has its original Victorian gentlemen’s urinals, and they’re Grade II listed. The bathroom is protected by the same law as the building.
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xG9Fna7PkZfRbVqM6
What to Eat: Stick to pub classics like chips or pies
What to Drink: Samuel Smith ales, which are easy on the wallet.
Price Range: £10–£20 for food, £4–£6 for drinks.
9. The Old Bell Tavern, Fleet Street
If you want a quieter pub with real charm, The Old Bell is a lovely pick. Tucked along Fleet Street, it has a relaxed feel and a long connection to Christopher Wren, who rebuilt it after the Great Fire.
Did you know? Fleet Street used to be the center of London’s newspaper industry, and The Old Bell is said to have been where the printers and journalists actually drank.
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Fu2krEHEyBn2RDYB8
What to Eat: The chicken pie and fish and chips are the favourites here.
What to Drink: A solid choice is the London Pride or whatever guest ale they have on tap.
Price Range: £14–£25 for mains, £6–£7 for a pint.
10. The Blackfriar, Blackfriars
Wedge-shaped pub with monk carvings” sounds like something a tour guide invented to sound quirky. But it’s not! It’s real.
The building is shaped like a flat iron because it got squeezed into a leftover triangle of land by the bridge, and once you’re inside, the bronze reliefs show monks doing the most random things: singing, fishing, and one who is very specifically just about to boil an egg.
There’s a motto carved into the marble that says “Haste is Slow,” which might be the most London thing I’ve ever read on a wall.
Did you know? The pub sits on an actual medieval Dominican friary site and was nearly torn down in the 1960s. Poet Sir John Betjeman led the campaign that saved it, years before he became Poet Laureate. No Betjeman, no pub.
📍 Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4DbNYFgw5Hq2yC3T7
What to Eat: The beer-battered fish is amazing!
What to Drink: They have a long ale list and some great ciders too.
Price Range: £16–£28 for mains, £6.50–£8 for drinks.
Oldest Pubs in London FAQ
What is the 1000-year-old pub in England?
There is a pub in England that claims roots going back around 1,000 years, and that’s Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem in Nottingham. It was built into the caves below Nottingham Castle and says it dates to 1189. Whether every part of it is truly that old is up for debate, but it’s still a fascinating place to visit if you’re exploring beyond London.
What is the most beautiful London pub?
For me, The Princess Louise in Holborn takes the crown. The Victorian interior is breathtaking — all etched glass, carved wood, colorful tiles, and old-fashioned snugs tucked into corners. It feels like a little time capsule of London, and honestly, you could pop in just to admire the décor and leave happy.
What is Europe’s oldest pub?
Europe’s oldest claimed pub is Sean’s Bar in Athlone, Ireland. They say it dates back to 900 AD, and archaeological work has actually uncovered pieces of old wattle-and-daub walls inside. Like many “oldest pub” stories, some details are a bit fuzzy, but it’s still one of the oldest drinking spots you can visit in Europe.
Where are the oldest pubs in the world?
Some of the world’s oldest pubs are found in the UK and Ireland, thanks to their long history of tavern culture. England has several pubs with medieval roots, and Ireland has a few that go even further back. The exact title is hard to pin down — buildings have been rebuilt, renamed, or moved — but the spirit of those early taverns lives on in many historic pubs across both countries.
Conclusion
I set out expecting a list of the oldest buildings in London and ended up with something better: ten places where the specific detail matters more than the age on the plaque.
The Snob Screens at the Princess Louise. The egg-boiling monk at the Blackfriar. The fact that Fleet Street’s first printing press ran on the exact spot where you’re now drinking a pint. None of that needed the year 1189 to be worth knowing.
If you’re only doing one, make it The George Inn. It’s the last galleried coaching inn standing in the entire city, which is the kind of fact that’s actually true, no asterisk needed.
If you’re doing more than one, don’t try to hit all ten in a weekend. Pick three that are near each other, walk between them, and let the rest wait for next time.
