Yes, Guinness has been ‘having a moment’ for some time now – but, be not mistaken, it’s very much still having that moment. Whether that’s the hordes of disciples thronging to the Devonshire; the fabled Christmas Guinness shortage; unlikely social media star Prime Mutton touring the world evangelising about “Absolute creamers”; or endless ‘splitting the G’ discourse’ (or, even, alternatively ‘Murphy’s is the new Guinness’ discourse), the black stuff continues to exert a powerful hold over the populace.
And with good reason. There are endless, deeply nerdy rabbit holes one can fall down, related to best practice when pouring (the two-part pour is deemed supreme), the millimetre-precise angle at which to hold the glass, the ideal temperature, the gas mix, the length of the pipes, the star sign of the bartender, you name it. One of the currently trending telltale signs of a well-poured Guinness is the creamy lacing left on the inside of the glass – akin to the ‘legs’ on a glass of wine – which has come to be known in Guinness-loving circles as ‘the schtick.’ And all of these things are hotly debated by connoisseurs of the pint.
But just before we dive head first into this frothy discourse, we should probably address two important questions which are no doubt bubbling to the surface of your mind: 1) is this just a whole load of sexed-up nonsense devised by the devilishly clever minds in the Guinness marketing cabal? Probably. And: 2) do we care? Not really. Because there is one universal truth we can steadfastly cling to, which is that it is, unarguably, delicious.
So who pours what they preach? Who serves up the best Vitamin-G? Where does one find London’s best pints of Guinness? It’s an eternal question, and one that Mr. Mutton has proven there’s no singular answer to. But there are certainly contenders. Here are nine of the capital’s finest.
The Toucan | Soho
You would hope that the Toucan made this list, because it’s literally named after the vintage Guinness advertising mascot, with walls plastered in ancient posters and a sculpted, bow-beaked tropical bird perched proudly atop the building itself. So thank the good lord it delivers a genuinely great pint, otherwise it might have been embarrassing. It’s still a little bit cramped and grotty, and it still blissfully feels like old Soho. Head straight down the basement bar, and don’t even glance at the other taps.
Address: 19 Carlisle St, W1D 3BY
The Twelve Pins | Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park’s Irish stronghold. Always packed on match days, always reliably pouring a solid pint, always with an atmosphere that suggests at least one person present will be singing by the end of the evening. And always worth a stop in for a cheeky snifter of the black stuff if you happen to be in the vicinity…
Address: 263 Seven Sisters Rd, Finsbury Park, N4 2DE
The Coach & Horses | Covent Garden
Tucked away from the main tourist thrum, this tiny little corner of Covent Garden has been quietly keeping pint purists happy for years. In fact, it’s been run by the same Irish family for the past four decades plus change. Its tiny one-room space is enough to reassure that they surely must pour a pretty decent pint, because you don’t come here for the promise of personal space. And lo, they have been voted by the Irish Post as slinging the best pint in the UK.
Address: 42 Wellington St, WC2E 7BD
The Devonshire | Soho
It’s the giant, omniscient presence in London’s Guinness scene. The pub that serves more Guinness than anywhere else in the UK. The pub where you either consider it to be the best in the city, or you’re too cool for it and you don’t get why idiots flock there in such great numbers. But one thing’s for sure, is that with the sheer tidal wave of stout they’re pouring, they end up with a ridiculously fresh pint. “The most important thing is that we get such a large throughput” landlord Oisín Rogers tells us, before adding the other trick they have up their sleeves: “We serve it in a slightly different way, with a different gas mix”, which gives it that velvety micro-bubbliness.
Address: 17 Denman St, London W1D 7HW
Skehans | Peckham
There are Irish pubs, there are very Irish pubs, and then there’s Skehan’s. Publican and Limerick man Bryan Fitzsimons presides over this city within a city, which towers over three floors, abutted by a beer garden and more a wooden labyrinth, with nooks, crannies, and M.C. Escher-like stairs pulsing with electric warmth. And yes, if you can believe it, they do indeed take care to replicate the delights of a smooth pint of Irish Guinness right here in London.
Address: 1 Kitto Road, SE14 5TW
The Auld Shillelagh | Stoke Newington
Self-proclaimed as ‘the best Guinness in London,’ and to be fair, they have a strong case. This small, unassuming Irish pub in Stoke Newington has long been a Mecca for Guinness enthusiasts, with pints that consistently hit the creamy, perfectly aerated sweet spot.
For manager Jamie McCabe, it all comes down to “doing all the simple things correctly”, such as making sure that there’s a militant level of cleanliness going through both glassware and beer lines, and crucially, he says “we’ve got a short line here from barrel to tap”, meaning there’s virtually no middleman between you and the keg.
Address: 105 Stoke Newington Church St, N16 0UD
The Guinea Grill | Mayfair
Arguably the precursor to the Devonshire – it’s here in Bruton Place that publican Oisín Rogers refined his formula of Guinness-and-beef. And whilst Rogers has moved on to his Piccadilly megalopolis, the Guinea continues to attract avid fans of well-poured Guinness. There’s still a steak-filled dining room, and still some of the best pints in Mayfair.
Address: 30 Bruton Pl, W1J 6NL
The Faltering Fullback | Finsbury Park
Is the Faltering Fullback the largest pub in the universe? No. But on a warm summer’s afternoon, it can feel like that – in the absolute best possible way. A maze-like beer garden, a rugby-loving crowd, and crucially, a Guinness pour that does the job properly.
Address: 19 Perth Road, Finsbury Park, N4 3HB
Blythe Hill Tavern | Catford
In many ways, Blythe Hill Tavern nails the essence of a great pub. The barmen all wear collared shirts and ties. There are three rooms, with varying levels of chatter and atmosphere. The walls are covered in horse racing paraphernalia, and the Limerick-native landlord has – crucially – made sure that they pour a fantastic pint of Guinness. It’s very much a no-frills operation until it comes to what goes in the glass.
Address: 319 Stanstead Rd, SE23 1JB
The Cow | Notting Hill
Not strictly an ‘Irish pub,’ but nonetheless a place with a deep love of Guinness. A Notting Hill classic where you can drink a properly cared-for pint while dispatching a chilled platter of fresh oysters (just as Arthur Guinness surely intended). Those are its two specialist subjects, and it does them both with great aplomb.
Address: 89 Westbourne Park Rd, W2 5QH
Mc & Sons | Borough
0% Guinness on tap. That’s the crucial headline. There are only a handful of places in town that offer this – meaning the sober-curious or designated drivers can still enjoy the ritual of a well-poured pint. Traditional Irish pub aesthetics, a kitchen serving some eminently snackable Thai food in the city, and some of the smoothest pints of the black stuff south of the river.
Address: 160 Union St, SE1 0LH
The truth is, London is awash with good Guinness these days. Whether it’s a slick, meticulously crafted pint at the Devonshire, a no-nonsense classic at The Auld Shillelagh, or a low-key beauty in a hidden corner of the city, there’s no shortage of places to get your fix.
The only thing left to do is head out and start taste-testing…
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