London Pub Crawl: The Best Bars Around Historic Fleet Street

November 1, 2024

If London is, as is often claimed, less a single, cohesive city than a collection of villages, then the pubs are the souls of those villages. “The local” is a place to wind down after work, hang out with friends, gossip, and of course, throw back a few.

The pub crawl that follows explores some of the best watering holes around Fleet Street, once the heart of the U.K. newspaper industry, where every pub was a hotbed of rumor—and source of a potential scoop for any sharp-eared reporter sober enough to remember the morning after. 

For more ideas on what to see and do in London, pick up a copy of Frommer's London Day by Day. 

Pictured above: the Blackfriar pub

Just across from the Royal Courts of Justice, this was a coffeehouse when it opened in 1723 and was frequented by scribblers Horace Walpole, Oliver Goldsmith, and the ubiquitous Dr. Samuel Johnson. A pub since Victorian times, the George still has beautiful (if faux) medieval timbering and leaded glass. 213 Strand

This unusual pub is housed in a converted former bank branch that retains all the majesty of a palace of finance, with a huge interior and wonderful murals. 194 Fleet St.

The main reasons to come here are the architecture and some former customers. Much of the building survived the Great Fire of London and dates back to the 16th century; the cockerel out front was supposedly made by master carver Grinling Gibbons. The pub was a favorite of Charles Dickens, Samuel Pepys, and Alfred Lord Tennyson, who mentioned it in one of his poems, a copy of which hangs near the entrance. 22 Fleet St.

This wonderfully atmospheric, labyrinthine old pub was rebuilt right after the fire of 1666 and hasn’t changed much since. Dr. Samuel Johnson lived around the corner, and other literary ghosts haunt the place. It’s operated by Samuel Smith’s Brewery, whose pints are probably the cheapest in the capital. This is also a decent spot to take on carbs, perhaps a steak or vegetarian pie served with mash. Wine Office Court, 145 Fleet St.

This cozy and authentic pub was built in the 1670s for workmen building nearby St. Bride’s, the “wedding cake” church designed by Christopher Wren. The tavern maintains an old-world ambience with its leaded windows and wainscoted walls. The laidback, genial atmosphere makes this a good spot for a pint or some locally distilled gin. 95 Fleet St. 

Bearing the scars of an ownership feud that divided its premises in two, this Victorian pub (a former gin palace) was where the satirical magazine Punch was founded in 1841. Look for artifacts from that publication, as well as “Punch & Judy”–themed memorabilia, on the walls. The bright interior features beautifully etched mirrors and Art Nouveau chandeliers. 99 Fleet St.

The amazingly detailed interior of this wedge-shaped Arts & Crafts pub is a feast for the eyes. Magnificent carved friezes of monks remind you that the pub was built on the site of a 13th-century Dominican monastery, and under the vaulted ceiling you’ll find such inscribed thoughts as WISDOM IS RARE. This is a popular after-work watering hole for lawyers from nearby legal chambers. 174 Queen Victoria St.

As much a wine bar and restaurant as a pub, Shaws performs each role well. It’s set in a restored paper merchant’s warehouse, with an elegant, curved-glass bay frontage. Expect upmarket besuited clientele, beers by Fuller’s, and a respectable wine list. 31–34 St. Andrew’s Hill, Queen Victoria St.