Jezza's Top Picks

My 'Top picks' are the outstanding beer places in London at any given moment. Here you will normally find something exceptional or out of the ordinary - so a larger than average beer range; usually a good mix of London and UK beers as well as imports; top quality service and a good ambience and/or surroundings. In short, these pubs will all be offering the best that can be found in the London beer scene at the moment.

Jezza lives in South West London. You can follow him on twitter as @bonsvoeux1 or read his twitter feed below

Note that we regularly update what constitutes a top pick so places can be relegated from the list if their beer range dips or there are other significant changes.

Beer Merchants Tap 99 Wallis Road, London E9 5LN Taproom and bottle shop bar with an outstanding range of beer.

Cask Pub and Kitchen 6 Charlwood Street, London SW1V 2EE Specialist beer pub, one of the top destinations in town.

Craft Beer Co, Leather Lane 82 Leather Lane, London EC1N 7TR The first and best Craft Beer Co pub.

Ghost Whale (Brixton) 70 Atlantic Road, London SW9 8PX Bottle shop bar with over 400 beers.

Ghost Whale (Putney) 134 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 2SP Bottle shop bar near East Putney station.

House of Hammerton 99 Holloway Road, London N7 8LT The first pub from Hammerton Brewery.

It Ain't Much if it Ain't Dutch 67-68 Enid Street, London SE16 3RA Dutch bar in the heart of Bermondsey's beer mile.

Mother Kelly's (Bethnal Green) 251 Paradise Row, London E2 9LE Bottle shop/bar in a railway arch near Bethnal Green tube.

Pembury Tavern 90 Amhurst Road, London E8 1JH Classic pub, now a Five Points pub/tap room.

Red Hand 36-38 Stoke Newington Road, , London N16 7XJ Another excellent pub from the Graceland group.

Southampton Arms 139 Highgate Road, London NW5 1LE Wonderful pub selling beers and ciders from small UK independent breweries.

Star and Garter 227 High Street, Bromley BR1 1NZ Traditional pub on Bromley High Street, now serving a superb range of beers.

Sussex Arms 15 Staines Road, Twickenham TW2 5BG Outstanding pub near Twickenham Green.

Sutton Arms 16 Great Sutton Street, London EC1V 0DH Traditional pub with a modern beer range.

The Axe 18 Northwold Road, London N16 7HR Seriously excellent pub from the people behind the Kings Arms, E2.

The Bear, Paddington 29 Spring Street, London W2 1JA Craft Beer Co pub right by Paddington Station.

The Bull & Finch 126 Gipsy Hill (opposite station), London SE19 1QL An excellent bar right opposite Gipsy Hill station - and now a brewpub.

The Harp 47 Chandos Place, London WC2N 4HS One of the best pubs in London, now lovingly cared for by Fullers.

The Hop Locker SBC Market, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX Fantastic bottle shop bar on the South Bank.

The Hope 48 West Street, Carshalton SM5 2PR Multi-award winning community freehouse owned by local co-operative.

The Kings Arms (Bethnal Green) 11a Buckfast Street, London E2 6EY Very atmospheric Graceland pub.

The Royal Oak (Borough) 44 Tabard Street, London SE1 4JU Wonderful traditional Harvey's pub.

The Rusty Bucket Pub 11 Court Yard, London SE9 5PR Characterful independent freehouse.

The Trafalgar 23 High Path, London SW19 2JY Tiny back street local close to South Wimbledon station.

Honourable Mention

These pubs are not quite (yet) to the level of a Top Pick, but they are ones to watch. They are very much worth a visit if you have the time.

Anspach & Hobday 'The Arch House' 118 Druid Street, London SE1 2HH Busy and thriving tap room in a railway arch.

The Antelope (Surbiton) 87 Maple Road, Surbiton KT6 4AW Smart but comfy Big Smoke pub.

Beer + Burger (Kings Cross) 1 York Way, London N1C 4AS Highly impressive bottle shop bar, plus burgers.

Beer + Burger (Willesden) 88 Walm Lane, London NW2 4QY Bottle shop bar and burger place, all in one.

Black Dog Beer House 17 Albany Road, Brentford TW8 0NF Back street local transformed into excellent beer focused pub.

Cloudwater Tap Room 73 Enid Street, London SE16 3RA London tap room for the excellent Manchester brewery.

The Cock Tavern 315 Mare Street, Hackney, London E8 1EJ A proper pub from the people behind the Southampton Arms.

Craft Beer Co, Covent Garden 168 High Holborn, London WC1V 7AA Craft Beer Co's most central venue.

Craft Beer Co, Limehouse 576 Commercial Road, London E14 7JD Classic east London pub right next to Limehouse DLR station.

Dovetail 9-10 Jerusalem Passage, London EC1V 4JP Belgian bar with over 100 Belgian beers.

The Earl of Essex 25 Danbury St, London N1 8LE Lovely one roomed, light and airy pub close to Angel station.

Euston Tap West Lodge, Euston Station, London NW1 2EF Modern beer bar at Euston Station.

Filly Brook 392 Grove Green Road, London E11 4AP Excellent bar in a former scout hut.

The Green Goddess 43a Vanbrugh Park, London SE3 7AA Serious beer pub, soon to be a brewpub.

Grosvenor Arms 17 Sidney Road, London SW9 0TP Large corner pub half way between Stockwell and Brixton. Note that Affinity Brew Co ceased in March 2024

Hop Burns & Black (Peckham) 38 East Dulwich Road, London SE22 9AX Stylish beer shop specialising in beer, hot sauce and vinyl.

The Robin 29 Crouch Hill, London N4 4AP Cosy corner pub near Crouch Hill overground station.

The Kentish Belle 8 Pickford Lane, Bexleyheath DA7 4QW Micropub serving cask ales and an impressive range of bottled beers.

Mondo Tap House 86 Stewart's Road, SW8 4UG, London SW8 4UG Stylish, modern tap room.

Moor Beer Vaults & Tap Room 71 Enid Street, London SE16 3RA London outpost for one of the best breweries in the UK.

Mother Kelly's (Stratford) 27-30 Victory Parade, London E20 1FS Modern tap room on the Olympic Park.

Mother Kelly's (Vauxhall) 76 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP Bar under the railway arches at Vauxhall.

Old Fountain 3 Baldwin Street, London EC1V 9NU Traditional old boozer just off City Road, now with its own brewery.

Pelt Trader Arch 3, Dowgate Hill , London EC4N 6AP City sister pub to Euston Tap and siblings.

The Queen's Head 66 Acton Street, London WC1X 9NB Lovely traditional pub, comfortable and oozing atmosphere.

Hackney Church Brew Co. 16 Bohemia Place, London E8 1DU Spacious brewpub under the railway arches in the centre of Hackney.

Stormbird 25 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8TR Highly impressive specialist beer bar.

Three Hounds Bottle Shop 57 Beckenham Road, Beckenham BR3 4PR Bottle shop bar right by Clock House station.

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