From Dickens to Jack the Ripper: 9 London pubs with history

In London, it's hard to find a bad pub. It's also hard to find the best one: dozens of establishments that have been pouring beer longer than most European countries have existed lay claim to that title.

From 2004 to 2024, the city lost about 930 pubs, but several thousand still remain (according to ONS). Some of them have been operating for more than two hundred years, and those are the ones worth seeking out first.

We've selected nine London pubs where you'll get both history and good ale. Among them are a tavern Dickens frequented, a pub with its own ghost, and an establishment linked to the Jack the Ripper case. All of them welcome guests today.

Ad: this article contains affiliate links, we earn a commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you.

How to choose a pub in London

💡 In short:

• Come during the day from Monday to Wednesday. From Thursday to Friday after work, the rooms are packed with office crowds.
• Order at the bar and pay right away. You pick your own seat, there are no waiters in a classic pub.
• Check the kitchen hours. In old pubs, hot food isn't served all day.
• Prices and opening hours: as of 09/2026, verified on the official website of one of the pubs below.

A classic London pub is simple. At the bar you order a pint and pay immediately, then find a table yourself. There are usually no waiters, but there are almost always several cask ales on tap, a stout, and a cider.

Prices depend on the area. In the City, Westminster, and Mayfair, a pint costs noticeably more than in the East End or south of the Thames. If budget matters to you, look for pubs away from the main tourist streets.

1. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street burned down in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and was rebuilt in 1667. The pub has operated on this site for nearly five hundred years (according to Visit London). Fleet Street was once the center of London's printing trade, so journalists and writers were frequent guests here. Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle raised their glasses in this very spot.

© Matt Brown · CC BYPhoto: Matt Brown, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

The three small dining rooms serve old English dishes: steak, kidney pie, and fish and chips. Head down to the cellar with its stone floor and sawdust, sit at an oak table, and you'll be served cask ale in the Yorkshire style. The many nooks, dark wood walls, and fireplaces draw tourists from all over the world.

By the entrance hangs a plaque with the names of the monarchs who ruled England during the pub's lifetime. Power changed hands, but the establishment remained. Today it's both a pub and a museum in one.

• Address: 145 Fleet Street, EC4A (as of 09/2026, official website)
• Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30 (as of 09/2026, official website)
• Who it's for: those who want to see a pub-museum and eat a hot meal in a historic room.
• The catch: the dining rooms are small, and at popular times it's hard to find a free table.

2. The Churchill Arms

The Churchill Arms in Kensington is easy to recognize by its facade. It's entirely covered in flowers, and at Christmas it's decorated with fir trees and garlands. From the outside, it's one of the most photographed pubs in the area; inside, unexpected details await you.

© Ewan Munro from London, UK · CC BY-SAPhoto: Ewan Munro from London, UK, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

Pots, mugs, basins, and hats hang from the ceiling. It looks as if the owner grabbed everything within reach and hung it up there. The carpet on the floor and the abundance of antique objects complete the atmosphere.

The main feature of The Churchill Arms is that it's an English pub with Thai food. It's run by an Irishman, and this combination has long been a talking point in the neighborhood. Order a pint of ale, get something from the Thai menu, and head out to the courtyard, which feels like a conservatory.

• Who it's for: anyone who wants a striking photo and a spicy dinner instead of a pie.
• The catch: there are no classic British dishes here, the kitchen is entirely Thai.

3. Ye Olde Mitre

Ye Olde Mitre is tucked away in Ely Court, between Hatton Garden and Ely Place. If you don't know the way, you'll easily walk right past the entrance. The pub opened back in Tudor times as a dining room for the servants of the Bishop of Ely.

There are many stories connected with this place, and the bartender will gladly tell them if you ask politely. One legend says that Queen Elizabeth I danced around a table here on May Day.

© Matt Brown · CC BYPhoto: Matt Brown, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

There's almost no kitchen here: you can grab a bite with toast or a pork pie. But there are several ales and ciders and old-fashioned service. One of the scenes in Guy Ritchie's film Snatch was also shot here.

• Who it's for: anyone who wants a quiet pint in a Tudor-era pub.
• The catch: you won't get a full meal here, the menu is limited to snacks.

4. The Lamb

The Lamb has been operating on Lamb's Conduit Street in Bloomsbury since the 1720s (according to the official website). Like the street, the pub is named after William Lamb, who repaired the local water conduit.

The main interior detail here is the frosted glass panels above the bar. They're called snob screens: they hid the customer's face from the bartender when ordering. There's also a polyphon here, a distant ancestor of the jukebox.

© Stephen McKay · CC BY-SAPhoto: Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

The Lamb has no TVs and no music. Conversation is valued here, and you'll be asked to put your phone on silent. The menu offers a wide selection of cask ales and beers from small breweries.

• Who it's for: anyone who wants a real conversation over a pint and a rare Victorian interior.
• The catch: the quiet atmosphere isn't for everyone, a loud group doesn't belong here.

5. Princess Louise

Princess Louise on High Holborn is named after the daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Inside, you step into a Victorian gin palace: marble floor, wood paneling, stained glass, and booths around an island bar.

The pub's interior has survived almost unchanged and is considered one of the finest examples of Victorian style in London. The wood, mirrors, and glass here are handmade. That's exactly why lovers of old things value this place.

© Edwardx · CC BY-SAPhoto: Edwardx, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

From the outside, Princess Louise looks like an ordinary city building. Pay attention to the details inside: carved beer pump handles and antique stained glass in the windows.

• Who it's for: anyone interested in Victorian architecture and interiors.
• The catch: the pub is unremarkable from the outside, the entrance is easy to miss.

6. The Star Tavern

The Star Tavern in Belgravia occupies a Georgian listed building. The pub is known as one of the best places for real ale: for many years it has appeared in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide.

In the middle of the last century, you could see London gangsters at the same table as the aristocracy here. According to legend, the Great Train Robbery was planned in this very tavern. This detail is still told here today.

© Edwardx · CC BY-SAPhoto: Edwardx, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

The food at The Star Tavern is simple and hearty: steaks, pies, fish and chips, and Sunday roast. The main thing here for you is the beer: most of it is brewed at the Fuller's brewery on the banks of the Thames. The service and food here come without unnecessary pretension.

• Who it's for: anyone looking for real ale and not expecting a restaurant setting.
• The catch: the interior is modest, tourists come here primarily for the beer.

7. The Ten Bells

The Ten Bells stands in Spitalfields, in the Whitechapel area. The pub is linked to the name of Jack the Ripper: according to the stories, his victims used to come here. Today this attracts tourists who come for the dark history.

For a while the pub was even renamed "Jack the Ripper," but the original name was later restored. The interior, with its tiles and oak paneling, has survived from Victorian times. The pub can be seen in the film "From Hell" with Johnny Depp.

© Matt Brown · CC BYPhoto: Matt Brown, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

The Ten Bells remains an ordinary neighborhood pub, and the only reminders of its grim history are the guests. They serve good beer here, including ale and stout. Stop by if you're interested in both the area's history and the atmosphere of the East End itself.

• Address: 84 Commercial Street, Spitalfields (as of 09/2026, official website)
• Who it's for: those who like dark stories and old interiors.
• The catch: a lot of tourists come here for the dark history, so don't expect a quiet evening.

8. The Grenadier

The Grenadier is tucked away in Wilton Row, a small alley in Belgravia, and occupies a small building from the mid-19th century (according to CAMRA). The pub is dedicated to soldiers of the British Army.

The main reason people come here is the ghost. According to legend, a grenadier was caught cheating at cards and beaten to death. Since then, the soldier's ghost sometimes appears in the rooms and rattles the dishes. If stories like that don't scare you, come on in.

© Matt Brown · CC BYPhoto: Matt Brown, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

The pub is small, and the rooms fill up quickly in the evenings. They serve classic British dishes here, so it's best to arrive at opening time for dinner. It's one of the quietest spots in the neighborhood.

• Address: 18 Wilton Row, Belgravia (as of 09/2026, official website)
• Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:00 (as of 09/2026, official website)
• Who it's for: those who want to spend time in a pub with a ghost and a history.
• The catch: the room is small, and the pub itself is hidden in an alley.

9. The Punch Bowl

The Punch Bowl operates in Mayfair and is known for its owner. The pub was bought by film director Guy Ritchie together with his then wife Madonna. Since then, the place has never been out of the news.

The old pub long maintained a respectable reputation. After the change of ownership, a string of stories began: the couple was accused of overpricing alcohol, then came divorce proceedings, and at one point the pub was nearly shut down over noise complaints.

© Ewan Munro from London, UK · CC BY-SAPhoto: Ewan Munro from London, UK, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

Today The Punch Bowl remains both a pub and a place where you can spot celebrities. The doors are open to you as well. Nearby, Guy Ritchie opened another venue, Lore of the Land, together with footballer David Beckham.

• Who it's for: those who want to see Mayfair and, possibly, a celebrity.
• The catch: it's a celebrity pub, and it's always crowded in the evenings.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How much does a pint of beer cost in a London pub?

The price depends on the area and the type of beer. In the historic pubs on our list, you're paying for both the beer and the atmosphere. Check the menu on site for exact prices.

Do you need to book a table at a pub?

Most London pubs don't take table reservations. You walk in, order at the bar, and sit wherever there's space. Booking is only worth it at places with a large kitchen, especially on weekends. At small venues like The Grenadier, space is limited, so arrive at opening time.

Are pubs crowded in the evening?

Yes, evenings are busy. If you want a quiet drink, come right after opening. At The Ten Bells and The Punch Bowl, there are more tourists on weekends.

Can you bring children to a pub?

Most London pubs allow children during the day, until the evening. Later, it's adults only. The rules depend on the specific venue, so check them on the pub's official website before your visit. Alcohol is not sold to minors here.

How do you get to the pubs on our list?

Almost all of them are in central London, near tube stations. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is by Fleet Street, The Ten Bells in Spitalfields, The Grenadier in Belgravia. The most convenient way to get around is by tube and on foot. Plan your route in advance so you don't waste time on transfers.

In short: what's worth booking

If you have one evening, pick a pub in your area: in the City that's Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, in the East End The Ten Bells, in Belgravia The Grenadier. For a couple of pints and some history, head to Ye Olde Mitre and The Lamb; for a bright facade and Thai food, The Churchill Arms.

If you want to combine pubs with sightseeing, book a London pub tour on GetYourGuide. If you're looking for somewhere to stay nearby, check out London hotels on Trip.com.