The best pubs in North London — from Hampstead to Highgate, Camden to Islington. Historic pubs, gastropubs, community locals and hidden gems across N1–NW8.
Best Pubs in North London: A Local's Guide
North London has one of the greatest concentrations of good pubs in any part of the city — a mix of 16th-century coaching inns on the edge of the Heath, great Victorian locals in Islington and Camden, gastropubs that take food seriously without losing their pub identity, and community-owned institutions that have survived closure attempts through collective action.
This guide covers the strongest options by neighbourhood.
Hampstead's Historic Pubs
The Spaniards Inn (Spaniards Road, NW3): A 16th-century inn on the edge of Hampstead Heath. Dick Turpin allegedly kept his horse in the stable; Keats drank here; Dickens mentioned it in The Pickwick Papers. The garden is one of London's best pub gardens; the building is a genuine piece of history. A Sunday afternoon at the Spaniards is one of the reliable pleasures of North London.
The Holly Bush (Holly Mount, NW3): A 17th-century pub in Hampstead village, reached by a narrow alley. Low ceilings, wood panelling, a series of small rooms that feel genuinely old. No music. Excellent for a quiet afternoon pint.
The Flask (Flask Walk, NW3): A pub with roots in the 18th century — named for the flasks of water that were sold here to visitors taking the Hampstead spa waters. Good beer, a comfortable room, one of Hampstead's most reliable options.
Highgate
The Flask (Highgate West Hill, N6): A different Flask from the Hampstead one — a Victorian pub on Highgate's main street with a garden and a consistently good beer range. Popular with the Highgate literary set since at least the 18th century.
The Wrestlers (North Road, N6): One of Highgate's most traditional pubs — unchanged decor, good beer, no gastropub pretension. The kind of pub that justifies the word "local."
The Bull (North Hill, N6): The Highgate gastropub option — better food than the Wrestlers, a more contemporary wine list, but still recognisably a pub.
Camden and Chalk Farm
The Edinboro Castle (Mornington Terrace, NW1): The best pub garden in Camden — a large outdoor space that is consistently full on summer evenings. Reliable food; above-average beer range.
The Good Mixer (Inverness Street, NW1): A legendary Camden pub that was a central gathering point for the Britpop scene in the 1990s. Now a quieter local — better for it.
Islington
The Charles Lamb (Elia Street, N1): A small, beautiful back-street pub in Islington with exceptional beer and a genuinely local character. The building is listed; the interior is one of London's most attractive small pub rooms.
The Compton Arms (Compton Avenue, N1): A back-street local associated with Orwell — the pub's exterior appears in a 1940s photograph. Small, unchanged, excellent.
Kentish Town and Tufnell Park
The Pineapple (Leverton Street, NW5): Community-owned since 2002, when regulars bought the pub to prevent conversion. No music, no large screens, good beer, a garden, a loyal community. One of London's better examples of what a community pub can be.
The Boston Arms (Dartmouth Park Hill, NW5): A large Victorian pub with a theatre upstairs and a consistent live music programme. The building is impressive; the music programme is one of the better ones in North London.
Stoke Newington
The Auld Shillelagh (Church Street, N16): An Irish pub that has been on Church Street for decades — trad music sessions at weekends, a warm room, a genuinely local audience.
The Jolly Butchers (Stoke Newington High Street, N16): North London's best craft beer pub — consistently excellent tap list, knowledgeable staff, a beer-first approach that is rare in London.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best pub in North London?
The Spaniards Inn for atmosphere and history; The Holly Bush for a genuinely old pub interior; The Jolly Butchers for craft beer; The Pineapple for community character.
Which North London pubs are historic?
The Spaniards Inn (16th century), The Holly Bush (17th century), The Flask in both Hampstead and Highgate (18th century), and The Charles Lamb in Islington.
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