London

Admiral Duncan

A single room: what it lacks in space, it makes up for with drag performances. Make sure you head here on a Sunday evening for the Divine Ms Frankie Fantastique and her weekly game of "Rock and Roll Bingo".

Bar Termini

Italian-style bar serving cocktails and charcuterie. Excellent (and reasonable for the area) drinks in a cosy, quiet setting. No loud music, no rowdiness.

Sun-Thu 10AM-11:30PM, Fri Sat 10AM-midnight

Barrowboy & Banker

This used to be the first branch of NatWest bank in the UK and it maintains a lot of the old bank fittings, from pillars to marble floors.

Mon–Sat 11AM–11PM, Sun noon–7PM

Betsey Trotwood

Live music in the cellar every Friday. Venue is like a very small dungeon, but they know what is good music.

Brew Wharf

This gastropub is part of Vinopolis but it is definitely beer-focussed—it even has its own microbrewery—with a large selection from around the world.

Mon–Sat noon–11PM, Sun noon–8PM·Pint from £4.60

CASK Pub & Kitchen

One of RateBeer's Top 50 bars in the world, and only one of two in the UK (see The Craft Beer Company in Clerkenwell for the other). A specialist beer bar with a regularly changing selection of real ales and craft beer casks, plus a larger assortment of local and international bottles. Monday to Saturday, gourmet burgers are served by Forty Burgers; with traditional British roasts on Sundays.

Mon 4–11PM; Tue–Sat noon–11PM; Sun noon–10:30PM·Pints from £3.75; burgers from £̩9.70

Cafe Kick

Hidden down a backstreet away from the busier parts of Clerkenwell, lies a cosy little bar crammed with several table football machines, and a good selection of cocktails. In the summer people spread out onto the pedestrianised street and chat in the sun. Happy hour 4-7PM daily.

Mon-Sat 11AM-11PM; Sun 11AM-10:30PM

Camberwell Arms

Independent foodie pub famed for its Sunday roasts (rated #1 of 50 best Sunday lunches by the Guardian in 2017). Bars spread over two floors, great for either a drink or a bite to eat.

Catford Bridge Tavern

The Copperfield

is a newly refurbished up-market gastropub next to the stations, with 5 handpumps serving ales.Has a classy selection of gourmet food.

Mon–Fri 4–11PM, Sat Sun noon–11PM

Cittie of Yorke

The interior gives the impression of being a historic relic but it was only built in 1924 (although there have been other pubs on the site since 1430). Lack of authenticity aside, it really is an impressive and atmospheric pub, a grade II listed building and on CAMRA's national inventory of historic pub interiors. Food is served Monday to Saturday.

Mon–Sat noon–11PM, Sun noon-6PM

Comptons

A gay institution. Mostly caters to an older, rougher, fetish-oriented and bearish crowd.

Cork and Bottle Wine Bar

More of a wine bar than a restaurant, the extensive wine list features selections from Australia and California. They offer reasonable cuisine to wash down this full bodied wines.

Crown Tavern

A large, traditional pub, rebuilt in 1815 but claiming a history on this site back to 1641. In good weather, outdoor tables in the square can be pleasant. London legend claims that Stalin and Lenin first met in this pub, in a back room (under the "Conspirators' Clock") in 1903.

Mon–Fri noon–11PM; Sat Sun 10AM–11PM

De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar

Dutch-themed pub with an excellent selection of beers. It is often crowded, but has a good atmosphere and a comedy club.

Dean Swift

Beer specialist, which often includes casks from the local Kernel brewery as well as further afield.

Mon–Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–11PM

Dirty Dick's

One of the better known pubs (although definitely no tourist trap) near Liverpool St, supposedly named after a Georgian dandy who let himself go on the death of his fiancée.

Mon-Thu 11AM-midnight, Fri Sat 11AM-1AM, Sun 11AM-10:30PM·£3.20 pint

Doggett's Coat and Badge

A four-floored pub overlooking the Thames near Blackfriars Bridge.

Mon–Wed 10AM–12:30PM, Thu–Sat 10AM–12:30PM, Sun 10AM–11PM

Draft House

A branch of the small, local chain of American-influenced pubs which "aims to do for beer what our culture has done for food and wine".

Mon–Sat noon–11PM, Sun noon–10:30PM

Duke Of Wellington

Superb "neighbourhood pub" which is popular with the bearish crowd. Good music and great choice of drinks. Downstairs is always busy - upstairs is more subdued with sofas and tables.

Duke's Head

A lovely gastropub with great views on and along the river. A regular for locals.

Electric Ballroom

A historic ballroom turned contemporary rock music venue. As a former dancefloor, the audience stands on a flat surface so it may be difficult to see the stage further back. The Ballroom hosts several different club nights. It is a big venue with two separate dance floors and four bars. Features a rock floor, as well as a floor for the industrial/goth/rock/techno genres.

Fri 10:30PM-3AM

Fabric

A massive club (think cathedral scale) that provides a more underground version of Ministry of Sound and hosts some of the biggest names in dance music, from Goldie to David Holmes to the Scratch Perverts. There are always big queues, so get down early if you can.

Thu–Sat times vary (check listings)·Entry £12-18, discount for NUS

Fabric

A massive club (think cathedral scale) that provides a more underground version of Ministry of Sound and hosts some of the biggest names in dance music, from Goldie to David Holmes to the Scratch Perverts. There are always big queues, so get down early if you can.

Thu-Sat times vary (check listings)·Entry £12-18, discount for NUS

Fitzroy Tavern

Owned by the Samuel Smith brewery, the Fitzroy Tavern offers good, cheap beer. The pub, which took its name from a local aristocrat, the Earl of Fitzroy, in turn inspired the name of the surrounding area of Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, and was a popular drinking place for BBC broadcasters (including George Orwell) following the Second World War. A very friendly pub, with nice outdoor seating in summer.

Fortnum & Mason

The Queen's Grocer

An upmarket grocery store, with royal connections. Buy tea and drink tea here.

Mon-Sat 10AM-8PM Sun noon-6PM

Founders Arms

Riverside Youngs' pub with an excellent view looking straight across the Thames at St. Paul's Cathedral and the rest of The City's iconic skyline.

Mon–Thu 9AM–11PM, Fri Sat 9AM–midnight, Sun 9AM–11PM

Fox & Anchor

Independent traditional pub quite close to the Barbican. Beers are often served in pewter tankards for the extra traditional touch. Six rooms are available for those who want to sleep where they drink (or just near the Barbican). Great atmosphere but it can be a little more expensive than average, especially the food and lodging.

Mon–Thu 7AM–11PM; Fri 7AM–midnight; Sat 8:30AM–midnight; Sun 8:30AM–10PM

Frank's Cafe at Bold Tendencies

A unique bar open in the summer months on the top floor of a multi-storey car park, with fantastic views over London.

Summer months only

Freud

Frevd

If you blink, you'll miss this casual cellar bar that serves up a variety of cocktails you can't find anywhere else in London. Has good mojitos, and even an Apple Pie concoction that tastes like a drink version of the real thing! Always very crowded at night on the weekends despite the fact that you need to go down a rickety metal staircase to find it.

Thu Fri 4–10PM, Sat 3–10PM, closed Sun–Wed

Garlic & Shots

Walk through the unassuming upstairs restaurant and head down the back stairs to find this small hidden basement bar, which boasts 101 different garlic and chilli-infused shots and loud rock/metal music. The 'Bloodshot' is highly recommended! There is also a seated outdoor smoking area out the back.

Mon–Fri 5–11pm, Sat noon–11PM, Sun noon–10;30PM