Alongside alcohol, a fireplace is easily the best way to warm your cockles – making a pub with a roaring hearth pretty much the cosiest place the laws of physics will allow.
So, as the mercury makes its merry way to the bottom of the thermometer, we’ve pulled together a list of what we’d consider to be the cosiest pubs in London. Which means all you need to do is sit back, crack the spine on a good book, and order a hot toddy.
Behold, the best London pubs with open fires…
JUMP TO: NORTH | EAST | CENTRAL | SOUTH | WEST
THE BEST PUBS WITH OPEN FIRES IN NORTH LONDON
The Albion | Islington
A relic from when Islington was fields and farmland, The Albion boasts a wisteria-filled beer garden for summer; and low hanging chandeliers, wood-panelled walls, and log fires for the frostier months.
Details: 10 Thornhill Road, N1 1HW
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The Myddleton Arms | Canonbury
The Myddleton Arms might be best known for its beer garden out the back – but in the winter, it’s the pub’s cosy fireplace that steals the show, alongside mulled wine and, come mid-December, their annual carol singalong.
Details: 52 Canonbury Road, N1 2HS
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The Duke of Hamilton | Hampstead
A Hampstead pub that’s a little off the beaten track, with plenty of beer on tap, a formidable Sunday roast, and a jazz bar in the cellars with live music Thurs-Sat. Oh, and a roaring log fire – if you can beat Lenny the pub dog to the best spot.
Details: 23-25 New End, Hampstead, London, NW3 1JD
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The Old Queen’s Head | Islington
How do we love thee? Let us count the ways. 1. Booze. 2. A weekly quiz night. 3. A carved stone fireplace. 4. Lucky Chip burgers. 5. The club nights upstairs. 6. Sunday Socials with roast dinners, Bloody Marys, board games, and free use of the karaoke room. 7. The Karaoke Room.
Details: 44 Essex Road, N1 8LN
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The Holly Bush | Hampstead
Back when the Holly Bush was built – in the 1790s – fireplaces were pretty much the only form of heating. That and alcohol. So it explains why the venue has a lot of both. You can either cosy up to the hearth in the main bar, or head to the dining room and thaw out there after a stomp around Hampstead Heath.
Details: 22 Hollymount, Hampstead, NW3 6SG
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The Queen’s Primrose Hill | Primrose Hill
A stone’s throw away from Regent’s Park, The Queen’s offers up a large selection of craft beers and wines, as well as an impressive food menu. In the summer time you might opt for the terrace (overlooking Primrose Hill itself) but in the winter you’ll more likely be fighting for a spot by their coal fire.
Details: 49 Regents Park Road, NW1 8XD
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The Wrestlers | Highgate
The Wrestlers has stood on this site since 1547, and the wood panelling, log fire and stained glass windows give you a real sense of stepping back in time. The food and drink, however, is fully up to date – so you can enjoy craft beers and Korean Fried Chicken while soaking up the olde worlde charm.
Details: 98 North Road, N6 4AA
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The Gipsy Queen | Gospel Oak
Quizzes. Live music. Craft beers. Fire. And an ever-changing line-up of mouthwatering residencies in the kitchens, from Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki to sharing plates of Turkish mezze.
Details: 166 Malden Road, London, NW5 4BS
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The Southampton Arms | Gospel Oak
After a long winter walk across Hampstead Heath you might find yourself here – at the south-western corner – and should that happen to be the case, you’ll also find a guaranteed minimum of 18 British craft beers and ciders, as well as an upright piano and open fire by which to enjoy them.
Details: 139 Highgate Road, NW5 1LE
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The Lock Tavern | Camden
Perched just opposite Camden Market, The Lock Tavern describes itself as a ‘poshed-up boozer with a punk soul’. And really, what’s more rock’n’roll than a nice cosy fireplace with a couple of comfy armchairs, plush banquette seating, and a Sunday roast to share?
Details: 35 Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8AJ
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The Island Queen | Angel
Boasting all the charms of a Victorian gin palace, the Island Queen is an eclectically designed spot a stone’s throw from Regent’s Canal – perfect for warming up by the fireside after a brisk walk.
Details: 87 Noel Road
The Spaniard’s Inn | Hampstead
This 16th Century pub wears a lot of badges: not only is it one of London’s oldest drinkeries, it was also immortalised in Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, AND is thought to be where Keats wrote Ode to a Nightingale. It has a beer garden, roaring fires and mulled wine in the winter, plus a daily changing food menu to suit every occasion – including sitting down to write a seminal work of 19th century poetry.
Details: Spaniards Road, NW3 7JJ
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The Wells | Hampstead
Think deep sofas, log fires, and board games. The beer list is big, the wine list is long, plus they’ll even knock you up a cocktail if you fancy it. And they’ll do it wells.
Details: 30 Well Walk, NW3 1BX
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The Pineapple | Kentish Town
This pub is a true local favourite, as proved when it was threatened to be turned into flats – the locals rallied round and petitioned so hard the decision was not only overturned, but the bar actually got listed with English Heritage to boot. As well as the usual hard stuff, they serve pretty decent Thai food all days of the week. Plus there are frequent tap takeovers, plenty of cosy fireplaces, and cats.
Details: 51 Leverton Street, NW5 2NX
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The Flask | Hampstead
Like every good flask, they’ll keep you both warm & watered, with a healthy drinks list, pub grub, and two crackling fireplaces seven days a week.
Details: 14 Flask Walk, NW3 1HE
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The Drapers Arms | Islington
Every Valentine’s Day, owner Nick Gibson donates the entire day’s earnings to charity. Which is almost as heart-warming as the log fire crackling away in the corner.
Details: 44 Barnsbury Street, N1 1ER
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The Rose & Crown | Stoke Newington
What appears from the outside to be a typical 30s corner pub reveals itself to be a Dickensian daydream of a pub inside, all flagstone floors, simple furnishings, crown glass windows, lanterns and roaring firesides. And, in a thoroughly un-Dickensian twist, an ice cream hatch.
Details: 199 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 9ES
THE BEST PUBS WITH OPEN FIRES IN EAST LONDON
Chesham Arms | Hackney
Tucked away on a Hackney side street, this is the cosy kind of place you’ll come and lose an afternoon to (in the best way). Low lit, with exposed brick walls, a huge beer garden and two brick fireplaces for winter, they offer up a wide selection of real ales, from all over the country.
Details: 15 Mehetabel Road, E9 6DU
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People’s Park Tavern | Hackney
Not only is this place a pub, it’s a brewery too – which means alongside a lengthy BBQ menu, they serve up a whole load of house-made booze which you can either enjoy wrapped up in their massive fairy-lit beer garden, or next to their toasty open fire.
Details: 360 Victoria Park Rd, E9 7BT
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Clapton Hart | Clapton
It’s a bright and spacious place, the type you’d head to with a group of friends confident you’ll find a table – although there’s also a few nooks and crannies for playing board games (or footsie) if that’s what you’re in the market for. They have an open fire to cosy up to in winter, and out the back is a large beer garden where you can knock back one of the many craft beers, real ales, or wines on offer.
Details: 231 Lower Clapton Road, E5 8EG
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Prince George | Dalston
We’ve heard Wills and Kate are big fans. It’s one of many charming Dalston pubs promising warmth in winter. Hidden down a backstreet, you can drink and dine to the tune of an old jukebox, with a notable number of stuffed animals to keep you company.
Details: 40 Parkholme Road, E8 3AG
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THE BEST PUBS WITH OPEN FIRES IN CENTRAL LONDON
The Grazing Goat | Marylebone
You can feast in the downstairs bar decked out with wood panelling and large French doors, or alternatively the dusty green, warmly-lit, first floor dining room might be more your thing. Either way there’s beer, wine, and plenty of cocktails to help ease it all down, not to mention a conveniently located hotel one floor up should things get a little grazy.
Details: 6 New Quebec Street, W1H 7RQ
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The Princess Louise | Holborn
Like every good princess she’s elegant, lined with oak and drenched in booze. And she’s been going strong since the Victorian era – even the men’s urinals are Grade II listed. You’ll want to visit if you’re after a cosy spot with jaw-droppingly beautiful decor – frosted glass booths, original tiling and wood panelling – or just a place to play hide and seek with your friends.
Details: 208 High Holborn, WC1V 7EP
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Scarfes Bar | Holborn
No, technically not a pub. But there’s nothing technical about the roaring fireplace. Plus, you can still get a beer.
Details: Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, Holborn, WC1V 7EN
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THE BEST PUBS WITH OPEN FIRES IN SOUTH LONDON
The Antelope | Tooting
Did you know before banking Barclays dabbled in beer-brewing? The Antelope did. In fact it was Barclays who founded it in the 1800’s, and it’s been offering up booze, great food, drawing classes, pub quizzes, and banjo lessons ever since. There’s a beer garden out back, and just in case one fire wasn’t good enough they went and got three.
Details: 76 Mitcham Road, SW17 9NG
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The Abbeville | Clapham
A quietly stylish old pub tucked on the backstreets by Clapham Common, serving pies with a pint on Mondays, steak and wine on Wednesdays, and cosiness all week long thanks to the open fire.
Details: 67-69 Abbeville Road, SW4 9JW
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No.32 The Old Town | Clapham
Part of the reliably sleek family that includes No 197 Chiswick Fire Station and 601 Queen’s Road, this particular all-day bar & restaurant overlooks Clapham Common. And included in its many charms (including roasts, brunches and cocktails) is a roaring fireplace next to a couple of cosy sofas…
Details: 32 The Pavement, SW4 0JE
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The Mayflower | Rotherhithe
One of the oldest pubs in London, The Mayflower gets its name from the first pilgrim ship that, a stone’s throw away, left for America in 1620. Frankly, we don’t know how they managed to tear themselves away from the cosy interiors, the roaring fire and the riverside jetty – practically none of which has changed over the past four centuries. There’s a dozen beers on tap, a hearty food menu (including a kilo of mussels) and a cracking roast on Sundays, too.
Details: 117 Rotherhithe Street, London, SE16 4NF
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Watsons General Telegraph | Honor Oak
Telegraph stations are terrible at taking compliments. STOP. But this one, now fully renovated into a pub, is a beauty. With its 20 beer tap wall, vinyl-only music policy, giant all-weather-permitted beer garden (filled with sofas and fire-pits), it’s almost enough to literally write home about.
Details: 108 Forest Hill Road, SE22 0RS
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The Alma | Crystal Palace
The Alma is good for the soul. Spend a weekend ambling through Crystal Palace Park, then wind up at this venerable old pub on the Triangle for an excellent roast (with haggis for the veggies) and a cosy, crackling fire.
Details: 95 Church Road, SE19 2TA
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Half Moon | Herne Hill
Once upon a time U2, the Police, Van Morrison, and Frank Sinatra all played in the Half Moon’s back room. Nowadays music might be less of a focus, but it does boast four bars, beautiful antique interiors, and a beer garden filled with fire pits fit for late night, winter hangs. Throw in enough beer and/or wine and who knows… you too might start singing after all.
Details: 10 Half Moon Lane, SE24 9HU
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The Clockhouse | Peckham
Brace yourself for a constitutional stomp around Peckham Rye, then warm up in The Clockhouse’s cosy interiors with open fires, tweed-wrapped banquettes and mismatched vintage furnishings. They’re dog-friendly, too – what’s cosier than that?
Details: 196a Peckham Rye, East Dulwich, London, SE22 9QA
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The Station | Hither Green
Apologies in advance to Hither Green residents, who probably don’t want the best spot in their local pinched by a load of day-trippers. But we will say that this cosy pub is right next to the station, does a cracking roast and has a roaring log fire (complete with dog bed right next to it).
Details: 14 Staplehurst Road, Hither Green, London, SE13 5NB
THE BEST PUBS WITH OPEN FIRES IN WEST LONDON
The Walmer Castle | Notting Hill
The newly revamped, rather gorgeous-looking Walmer Castle in Notting Hill is decked almost head-to-toe in wood, from the smoothly polished curving bar to the smart wall panelling, the beaten-up floorboards and the old country inn-style furnishings. But of course the most important wood is crackling away in the grate, giving you a particularly cosy spot to sip the pub’s own cask ale or a tankard of mulled wine.
Details: Walmer Castle, 58 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AJ
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The Orange | Pimlico
Some West London pubs are unapeeling, but The Orange certainly isn’t one of them. In fact it’s a particularly beautiful place loaded with aged stuccoed walls, wooden furniture, and vintage artwork. Like every decent pub does it serves a long list of cocktails, wines, and draught beers, all of which can be enjoyed downstairs in the ground floor bar or by the fire, overlooking Orange Square, in their upstairs dining room.
Details: 37 Pimlico Road, SW1W 8NE
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The Pelican | Portobello Road
Cask ales served in dimple mugs; well-picked wines and stellar cocktails – The Pelican does it all. And it does it with a roaring log fire, too. Set just off Portobello Road, it’s the perfect bolthole for when the crowds get too much, and you’re in sudden, dire need of delicious small plates cooked up by Brawn’s Owen Kenworthy.
Details: 45 All Saints Road, London, W11 1HE
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The Marlborough | Richmond
Perched up on Richmond Hill, The Marlborough’s expansive beer garden makes it one of the most popular pubs in Richmond. But in winter, you’ll want to score one of the tables in the main bar to make the most of their flickering central fireplace.
Details: 46 Friars Stile Road, TW10 6NQ
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The Surprise | Chelsea
An exceptionally stylish pub? Serving upmarket grub? On a quiet residential corner of Chelsea? Yes, very little about The Surprise is actually surprising – but if you visit on a crisp winter day, you might get the best kind: the welcoming sight of a roaring fire.
Details: 6 Christchurch Terrace, SW3 4AJ
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The Drayton Arms | Kensington
Booze, food, big sofas, and board games. All of that should be enough for anyone, but throw in a fireplace, and it becomes next-level comfy.
Details: 153 Old Brompton Road, SW5 0LJ
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Lass O’ Richmond Hill | Richmond
The perfect resting place after a long walk in Richmond Park. The walls are lined with thick wooden beams, the skirting’s painted dark olive green and there are big leather armchairs pulled up close to open fires. Plus if the weather’s right for it/you haven’t already overdosed on fresh air for the day, there’s a big, leafy garden out back.
Details: 8 Queen’s Road, TW10 6JJ
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The Crooked Billet | Wimbledon
The Crooked Billet bills itself as a country pub in London. But really, this rustic Wimbledon pub feels more like a farmhouse, with a huge, double-height barn filled with cosy bench seating, weathered old furniture and a proper stone-fireplace that you could probably roast a whole hog on, if the need arose.
Details: 14 – 15 Crooked Billet, Wimbledon, London, SW19 4RQ
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Duke on the Green | Parsons Green
If you’re a Parsons Green local this one’s for you, particularly if you’re into your craft beer. And if beer’s not your thing? They’ve also got plenty of fine wines & cocktails for the taking. Setting-wise think patterns (a lot of them) but in a genuinely tasteful way; there are striped sofas with floral cushions, pendant lighting, wooden tables, and painted mustard chairs.
Details: 235 New King’s Road, SW6 4XG
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The Warrington Hotel | Maida Vale
According to urban legend, this opulent Victorian pub was once a high-class knocking shop, with its Randolph Avenue address giving rise to the term ‘randy’. Nowadays it’s just a ludicrously cosy place to get a pint, with a roaring fire, Chesterfield sofas, and jaw-dropping period features anywhere you choose to turn your head.
Details: 93 Warrington Crescent, London, W9 1EH
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The Alfred Tennyson | Belgravia
Named after Britain’s first poet laureate, this is a fittingly refined spot. Set over four floors, you’ll find pink velvet booths, leather sofas, oak tables, open fires, and large sash windows. At the bar there’s a long list of beers both bottled and on tap, as well as a healthy wine list and cocktail selection to bolster an all-day food menu.
Details: 10 Motcomb Street, W1X 8LA
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The Fox and Pheasant | Chelsea
Paul Winch-Furness
You’ll find it down a picturesque, pastel-coloured mews in Chelsea; a handsome 17th-Century boozer owned by none other than James Blunt himself. It’s got a cosy, laid-back feel, helped along by three roaring fires in the winter. Food wise you can expect a mix of mostly British dishes, crafted with seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients, whilst for drinks it’s, well, the usual… to put it bluntly.
Details: 1 Billing Road, Chelsea, London, SW10 9UJ
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The Elgin | Notting Hill
You know that time-old phrase ‘never judge a pub by its cover’? Well, they definitely hadn’t visited The Elgin before writing that. Its white, tiled counters, distressed wooden floors, and exposed brick walls illustrate beautifully just how good their beer tastes and how perfectly lovely their food is, too.
Details: 96 Ladbroke Grove, W11 1PY
These pubs feel even cosier… after you’ve braved the chill on one of these London walks