LONDON'S BEST RIVERSIDE PUBS
The definitive guide to a pint by the water...
From the east to the west, there's one thing that unites and divides Londoners - the River Thames. Whether you're a northerner or a southerner, we can all agree that nothing warms the soul quite like a cool drink on the banks of the city's oldest thoroughfare.
But with so much choice, where should you be heading for a pint beside the water? We've picked out the finest pubs and bars with views of the Thames. Pick a pub, pick an area, grab your kayak and try to tackle the whole list (We really don't recommend that), but whatever you do, make sure these incredible drinking spots are on your to-do list.
EAST LONDON
THE GUN, Docklands
Nestled on the corner of a residential street in Docklands, The Gun looks fairly unspectacular from the outside, but it’s long been a favourite East End haunt for those in the know. It’s all about modern English food here - think pan-fried salmon, slow cooked wild roe deer and roasted cod - and the Sunday roast is the stuff of legend. But you’re here for the riverside offering, and The Gun more than delivers. A river terrace room offers fully indoor dining with views across the Thames; a covered deck provides shelter from the rain while still enjoying the river breeze; and a turfed garden takes up the corner of the plot, with an unobstructed view across to the O2 Arena.
CUTTY SARK, Greenwich
While still in Greenwich, The Cutty Sark enjoys a spot far away from the tourist crowds and, rather bizarrely, The Cutty Sark tea clipper from which it takes its name. But those who make the journey up the Thames walkway will be rewarded with a beautiful Georgian pub that dates back over 200 years.
Inside, the Cutty Sark retains the feel of an old, London boozer while attracting an upmarket crowd of locals. It’s all dark wood and cozy nooks and crannies, and the two-storey domed window shows that even in the late 1700s, architects knew the value of a good river view.
If you want a spot right next to the water, there are tables across the (narrow and mostly pedestrian) road, which are rarely empty during the summer months.
TRAFALGAR TAVERN, Greenwich
The Trafalgar Tavern is a grand old Georgian building that wouldn’t look out of place in a Regency seaside town, with its cream exterior and colourful flower boxes under its sash windows. Like the Cutty Sark, its bay windows offer brilliant views from inside, only these bulge out over the water itself and when the tide is high, the river laps against the pub walls.
Inside, the Georgian feel remains, its walls crammed with oil paintings lit by fancy chandeliers. There’s plenty of outdoor seating for the summer months, but we feel this place really comes into its own during the winter, when it feels at its most homely.
THE GRAPES, Limehouse
Sandwiched between Canary Wharf and the more illustrious Wapping, Limehouse has long been a local secret, but its pubs are worth the journey to East London alone. The Grapes stands strong amongst the onslaught of gentrification, surrounded by towering warehouse conversions in the former potteries that grew around the docks. It’s actually one of London’s oldest pubs, having opened in 1583, and looks gloriously untouched inside. The best spot, of course, is the rickety (and small!) wooden balcony at the back of the pub where views range from the Shard and Tower Bridge to the west and Canary Wharf to the East, including a Gormley statue that rises from the riverbed at low tide.
To get to the deck, you’ll have to walk past another, much smaller statue - that of mythical wizard, Galdalf. Why? Well, Limehouse resident Sir Ian McKellen is not only a regular at the Grapes, he’s also one of the owners and can often be found enjoying an ale at the bar.
THE NARROW, Limehouse
Another celebrity-owned Limehouse venue is The Narrow, although Gordon Ramsay doesn’t show his face quite as often as McKellen. As you’d expect, this is a gastro-pub with gastro taking the lead, and the food is great. But what it lacks in old charm (it was built in 2007), it makes up in unspoilt views. The entire riverside wall of The Narrow is made of glass panels, which can be pulled back in the summer months to give the place a mediterranean beach-bar feel. And there’s a terrace that wraps around the venue, which during the summer months is packed with deck chairs and outdoor tables where you can while away the afternoon and, if you’re lucky, watch the bridge over the entrance to Limehouse Marina swing out of the way for yachts and large boats to arrive.
THE OLD SALT QUAY, Rotherhithe
The Old Salt Quay is a large and lively pub on the south bank of the Thames, in picturesque Rotherhithe. If you’ve heard DJ sets pumping out across the river on sunny days, chances are it’s coming from here. The ground floor terrace is one of the biggest along the river in these parts, with picnic tables right up to the edge of the water, but there are also sizeable second and third floor balconies, so getting a seat here in the summer is easier than you’d think.
The building is a converted warehouse - as is 90% of this area of London - which means exposed brick, arched windows and old, wooden floors inside.
It’s a Greene King pub, so expect traditional pub grub, plenty of beer (including craft beers) and options for kids, too.