Is there good craft beer in Central London?

A question as old as the city itself. The answer, weirdly enough, is the same as it would have been 400 years ago: Sort Of, But You Have To Be Careful.

Despite the fact that us locals only venture into the chaos of Central when being visited by an obscure Yemenite relative who failed to announce their arrival until two days prior (only me?), most tourists often don’t have time to get out to other areas but still want to drink good beer. Sadly, Central London is inundated with absolutely awful pubs, overpriced and sticky, with beer from lines that were last cleaned when the pub first opened (usually some time in the 18th Century).

However, a small handful of establishments have set up shop inside the heartland of the Big Smoke with great independent craft beer. This is despite the fact that the breweries of yonder-year are no longer in the central part of the city, perhaps as rent here now costs the same as a short trip to the stratosphere (and the same people are able to afford both).

To keep things simple, we are focusing on venues in the Congestion Charge Zone and we have broken it down by area for you. They are reasonably spread out, so this is less of a crawl and more of a “where can I drink something nice before I go to see Mamma Mia”.

West End/South Bank

The Harp, Charing Cross
Good For: Real Ale; Being Really Close To Mamma Mia.
Things to Note: This place is tiny, so be prepared to stand outside with your pint (which is a very locals thing to do, FYI, so see it as a cultural experience). They have some seating upstairs too.
Beer: The Harp can probably be nailed down as the first “craft beer” pub in Central, and to be honest it pre-dates the phrase. Real ale and a good overall selection.
Vibez: Old-fashioned, “proper boozer” feel with an even mix of tourists, businesspeople and a few funky local characters.
Prices: You are in Central London so suspend your disbelief at the keg prices. The cask prices are very reasonable.
Warmth: Very friendly bartenders happy to give you a try of various brews.

The Lyric, Soho
Good For: Traditional Feel; Incredibly Central.
Things to Note: It’s quite small. That’s it.
Beer: A competitive selection from the UK’s commonly found independents, such as Signature, Two Tribes, DEYA and more. Nothing shocking, nothing lacking.
Vibez: Its location is so central that it really depends on the time of day, though it always maintains a welcoming, more personal feel than most other central London traditional pubs.
Prices: Copy paste from The Harp above.
Warmth: Bartenders are welcoming, will advise on beer and won’t turn their nose up if your friend orders something more…mainstream.

Waterloo Tap
Good For: Modern Craft Selection; A Waiting For A Train Pint.
Things To Note: Nestled conveniently below the arches adjacent to Waterloo station, right by the Thames and London Eye. While there is a reasonable amount of space, it can get extremely busy during post-work pints time.
Beer: Plenty of London and UK hipster craft to choose from for all tastes, including some unexpected German choices.
Vibez: Sort of changes depending on time of day, often pretty sociable and loud around the 5-8pm slot.
Prices: Similar to the above, it is expensive for IPAs and the on-trend stuff, though sometimes you can get a good deal on a German lager or something less hip. Don’t ask us why German lager isn’t hip.
Warmth: Staff know their stuff and in quieter hours are happy for a chat, though don’t be afraid to ask for a taster of something given the choice on offer.

Craft Beer Co. Covent Garden
Good For: Huge Selection; Being really close to absolutely everything.
Things to Note: It is quite small so sometimes quite hard to get a seat upstairs, though there is a more spacious basement area so don’t be put off. As a micro-chain, you can also find centrally-located Craft Beer Co. branches in Farringdon and Liverpool Street.
Beer: As noted, there is something for everyone here with a mixture of edgy London-periphery craft double IPAs, some independent cask and some more accessible 4% lager.
Vibez: Laid back, often busy with after workers if you hit it at 5-7pm on a weekday or busy with tourists if you hit it at any time on a Saturday.
Prices: I’m going to write the same thing as every other place in this guide. I’m not sure why I’m even bothering.
Warmth: The staff are friendly, will give tasters and advice, though as noted it is a micro-chain so sometimes lacks the personality of a one-off establishment.

Brewdog Seven Dials/Brewdog Soho
Good For: Satisfying you when absolutely desperate for a good beer and nothing else is open.
Things to Note: Both of these are right in the mixer, they do food and get really, really busy. You’re also giving money to Brewdog, who are a bit naughty.
Beer: Your standard Brewdog fare alongside some guest beers that are the main reason to come in here if you need something independent and are out of options.
Vibez: Seven Dials is massive, spread across three busy, bustling rooms of tourists, students and anyone else who happens to walk past and feel thirsty. Soho is a little more low key, with a basement area.
Prices: It’s not actually any more expensive than the others, given the location.
Warmth: Both environments are just a little stressful so the staff can be a little…stressed out. That said, they will give you tasters and do mostly know what they’re talking about.

The City (Business District)

Pelt Trader, Bank
Good For: Pizza; People-watching corporate grad schemers trying craft beer for the first time.
Things to Note: If you can undercut or overcut the after-worker crowd, it is a far calmer environment. Only open during weekdays (and honestly, why would you be in this area on a weekend anyway?).
Beer: A great selection of some of London’s finest craft brews, including Orbit, Signature and others that you wouldn’t usually find this far into suit-ville.
Vibez: As mentioned, it depends on your timing. 5-7pm can be a bit intense but otherwise this is a well laid out, friendly bar that has a clean, edgy aesthetic that belies its location.
Prices: Look at the suits and take a guess. The pizza is reasonable though!
Warmth: Surprisingly warm! The staff know all of the beers they are selling so pick up a spot at the bar and enjoy a chat and a taster or two.

The Arbitrager, Liverpool Street
Good For: Intimate Conversations; Making Friends
Things to Note: The two things above might seem incongruous, but The Arbitrager wins for being a tiny little speakeasy feeling place where you could easily huddle round a table and talk shop. Or, you can chat to anyone who isn’t doing that, since you’ll be encroaching on their personal space regardless.
Beer: Four taps of London craft, usually spanning four different styles, provides for a quick pint or two.
Vibez: As above, this place is miniscule so get ready to stand, or share a table, or something else cramped-sounding.
Prices: As per the usual.
Warmth: Often manned by the owners and managers, it’s a friendly, local feeling spot that just happens to be in the shadow of the Gherkin rather than in Brixton or Walthamstow.

The Rake, Borough Market
Good For: Huuuuge beer choice; Delightful beer garden.
Things to Note: The Rake is literally inside Borough Market. It doesn’t do food, so get your lunch dinner elsewhere then head here to consolidate.
Beer: One of the largest and most diverse choices of any pub in Central London.
Vibez: Usually as buzzing and busy as everywhere else in Borough Market, with a small interior and a large beer garden complete with fairy lights, as is mandated by beer garden law.
Prices: You know the story by now.
Warmth: Fun staff are beer experts and are ready for a good amount of chitchat.

Kill The Cat, Brick Lane/Spitalfields
Good For: Takeaway cans; Niche draft pours from around the country.
Things to Note: Kill The Cat has been serving visitors to Brick Lane for six years out of their cute lil bottleshop. Their pop-up, sit-down bar in Spitalfields is up throughout December 2022, with a permanent fixture in the market coming in mid-2023.
Beer: Can choices from all over the country, with a couple of drafts available too that have been brewed specially for them by Reading-based Double Barrelled.
Vibez: A mix of beer aficionados and city slickers who happen to be walking past makes for a sociable environment at the bright and spacious pop-up, whereas the bottle shop is a cosy space with room for a couple of drinkers though otherwise better for takeaway.
Prices: Nothing around here is “cheap”, though their core craft drafts are a few 10p’s cheaper than most of the pubs around the area.
Warmth: Very friendly staff, often manned by the general manager, makes for good advice and good conversation.

Elsewhere North of the River

The Sutton Arms, Farringdon
Good For: Tap Takeovers; Rustic Charm
Things to Note: Five minutes walk from Farringdon Station, The Sutton Arms is a classic, unassuming corner pub from the outside. Then you go in.
Beer: The ever-changing tap list here rivals any craft beer establishment in any area of London and comes as a big surprise given the aesthetic. They are especially partial to tap takeovers from some of the UK’s best breweries, so check ahead to see if there is a special event you might want to join.
Vibez: Sociable, with an after-work-pint-meets-beer-nerd crowd. Yep, not sure what that entails either but if you go there you’ll see what we mean.
Prices: More reasonable than its central-central peers.
Warmth: Great owners and bartenders know a LOT about the beer they have on tap, so you’ll be in great hands for a chat and a taster.

The Queen’s Head, Kings Cross
Good For: Extra Old School Charm; Pre-Train Beers
Things to Note: Five minutes walk from Kings Cross, this is your best bet for a pre-Eurostar craft pint in the area before you leave the island.
Beer: Owned by Mother Kelly’s, the Queen’s Head had a similarly diverse and interesting beer selection with plenty of non-hoppy styles.
Vibez: As mentioned, this is a very old school vibe, with the feel of a 1970s boozer that hasn’t been updated since.
Prices: Not bad at all compared to the St Pancras Champagne Bar.
Warmth: Staff rotate between the different MK venues, so will know a lot about beer.

The Resting Hare, Euston
Good For: German beers; Beer Garden; Pre-Train Beers
Things to Note: 5-10 minutes walk from both Euston and Russell Square, this is also a great “transit hub” stop off or post-museum tipple.
Beer: There are ten taps with four on cask and a surprising amount of German imported beers too. You’ll also find London craft classics like The Kernel.
Vibez: The interior is nicely decked out with a slightly classy feel and a unique bar placement as an island at the back of the room. The beer garden is laid back and attracts a diverse clientele comprised of locals, tourists waiting for a train, post-work drinkers and more.
Prices: One of the more reasonable of the lot, especially when going for cask or lager.
Warmth: The staff are certainly passionate and curate the beer list specifically for this venue. They have the same owners as Waterloo Tap (above) and Euston Tap (below).

Euston Tap, Euston
Good For: REALLY pre-train beers; Testing your balance after a couple of beers.
Things to Note: Set on the grounds of Euston Station, this wins London’s “craft beer establishment closest to a train station” award by a good margin.
Beer: A 15 tap selection of every type of style will leave nobody thirsty.
Vibez: Yup so this place is a little bizarre. The interior is absolutely tiny with space for about four people. The outside beer garden is large but surrounded by the bus terminal, making for a noisy, smoggy experience. The toilets are up a set of extremely steep, windy stairs so head up there at your peril after you’ve had a few pints.
Prices: Unexpectedly reasonable given the lack of alternative options around.
Warmth: Sort of varies depending on how busy it is. Can take a real while to get served so make sure you have time before your train!

Old Fountain, Old Street
Good For: Well-curated selection; Food.
Things to Note: The food menu here is as good as the drinks menu, so a great option when hungry AND thirsty. It also gets VERY busy, so wise to book ahead for this one.
Beer: Lots to choose from with a selection that has been thought through for all tastes and nerd levels.
Vibez: Very rustic, traditional pub feel with mostly sitting tables rather than a rowdy standing crowd.
Prices: It’s not as expensive as your average Shoreditch fare.
Warmth: They know a lot about what they sell and has the feel of old school pub service.
Additional Note: Their sister bar, The Fountain Tap, is just a 10 minute walk away in Shoreditch and is a tiny, cute craft beer bar with a similar selection if you want something more hipster feeling.

Mercato Mayfair German Kraft, Mayfair
Good For: Epic Setting; German Beer Styles; Food Stalls.
Things to Note: Yes, you read this right. Mayfair. Craft beer. Food stalls. Mercato, of Metropolitano Elephant & Castle fame, have opened this in the heart of the dark blue square on London Monopoly, and it’s actually really quite wonderful. Food stalls, German-themed craft beer supplied by German Kraft – oh, and did we mention, its in a disused church. Just go.
Beer: German styles made to German standards – don’t expect hazy IPAs.
Vibez: It’s a food market in a church in Mayfair so do with that what you will.
Prices: It is not cheap, but given it is on the most expensive London Monopoly square, it is reasonable.
Warmth: Sort of varies depending on the day, ultimately you are going with friends to enjoy the atmosphere, food and beer, not to talk about hops.

Elsewhere South of the River

Simon The Tanner, Southwark
Good For: Beer Selection; Welcoming Staff.
Things to Note: Food is mostly pizza during the week and Sunday Roast on, you guessed it, Sundays.
Beer: Great choice with a focus on local London offerings (including a bunch of stuff from the Bermondsey Beer Mile just half a mile away).
Vibez: Very laid back, no frills type of pub, mostly filled with locals and people who have gotten lost while on the beer mile.
Prices: Reasonable given the location.
Warmth: Great staff are up for a chat and happy to give tasters of pretty much everything they have – they want you to enjoy your drink, and for this we approve.

Spit & Sawdust, Old Kent Road
Good For: Shuffleboard; Sofas; Actually knowing where the cheapest square on the London Monopoly Board is.
Things to Note: Small rotating food menu in a big yet cosy space. They have shuffleboard and it’s FREE to play, so that’s reason enough to go.
Beer: Lots of taps with a varying selection that often changes week to week.
Vibez: Pretty laid back due to the spacious environment.
Prices: Possibly the most reasonable of every venue on this list.
Warmth: Also reasonable without being the most personable service we’ve ever had, but that’s ok – just get the shuffleboard pucks, a pint and plough on.

Mercato Metropolitano, Elephant & Castle
Good For: Total Chaos; Food; Socialising.
Things to Note: One of London’s biggest all-year outdoor venues, MM is an absolutely gigantic space full of food stalls, beer, cocktails and absolutely shitloads of people. Booking a table ahead is highly recommended if going on a Friday evening or Saturday at any time.
Beer: Beer is supplied by German Kraft, so similarly to the Mayfair version, the beer is excellent but leave your Double Hazy IPA pals at the door.
Vibez: As mentioned, this place is all vibez.
Prices: Not bad at all for the beer; Food wise, depends what you get.
Warmth: While the German Kraft team are always around, mostly you’ll encounter seasonal staff there to pour a pint, and while friendly, they’re not there to give you tasters, so choose a lager and enjoy.

Share and enjoy!

This list, like London according to people who live in Croydon but say they’re from the city, is ever expanding. If you know another venue in Central London that specialises in independent craft beer, let us know – we’ll go there and if it quenches our thirst, we’ll add it to the list!