The Bull, Highgate

Roy

If I'm not mistaken, Mirandola, I already have that book (bought on your recommendation in a previous thread).  But it's always interesting to hear personal recommendations, too.<br>

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miss annie

<p>Arky has the Lamb and Flag I think.</p><p>I like ...</p><p>The Sir Richard Steele (Steele's) - Belsize Park</p><p>The George Inn - Borough High Street</p><p>And most of everyone else's</p>

Arkady

Oooo, plenty of new ones for me there.  The Speaker is round the corner from my work; good sandwiches.<br>

emine

Quite a few I don't know. The Wapping pubs are my favourites but I also like: <div>The Three Kings, Clerkenwell</div><div>Island Queen, Islington</div><div>The Gun, Docklands</div><div><br></div>

Mirandola

Oh - the Lamb on Lamb Conduit Street. 

ADGS

Suddenly I feel my own knowledge of London pubs is so paltry! But I'd definitely second the Southampton, Swimmer and Parcel Yard.<br>

ADGS

(And probably the Island Queen if I'd not lost my favourite scarf there)<br>

andy

There are some very good pubs on these lists. No so sure about the Richard Steeles, miss annie, but it has it's place. I like the Lord John Russell in Bloomsbury, too.<div><br></div><div>What about out of town pubs?</div>

miss annie

I like Steele's mainly because my pals brother owns it. My pal does a good Northern Soul night there now and again.

Roy

I don't think I really know London well enough to have my own top 10 yet, but as for real ale pubs, a couple that I'm surprised not to see mentioned so far:<br><br>The Euston Tap, Euston (and the Cider Tap next door, if you like real cider)<br>The Rake, Borough Market<br><br>I also like the alternative pubs (they're really metal pubs, but they attract a broader alternative crowd, too) but they're probably not everyone's cup of tea:<br><br>The Intrepid Fox, St Giles<br>"The Dev", Camden Town (officially named variously The Devonshire Arms or The Hobgoblin)<br>The Big Red, Holloway<br>

Roy

Oh, and the Pembury Tavern (Hackney) seems to be recommended by many people I know, although I haven't been there yet.  I recently learnt that it has a bar billiards table, which has increased my interest in it - I haven't played that game since I was a student.<br><br><br>

vetski

The Pembury must have changed a lot since I lived in Hackney - I went in there once, and it made the seediest dives I'd ever seen look classy!

Roy

I think it probably has - I have no idea what it used to be like but it's an Individual Pubs pub now - in fact was their first.  One of my favourite Cambridge pubs is manage by Individual Pubs.  Will be a good traditional real ale pub, I don't doubt.<br>

Calouste

The Pineapple Kentish Town and The Sir Richard Steeles had the same owners upto about a year ago (the 8th April 2011 to be exact) My oldest friends  brother is one of two partners in the business. They bought Tapping The Admiral in Kentish Town/Chalk Farm and The Railway Tavern, Dalston with the proceeds of The Steeles.<div>@ Miss Annie  we may have a friend in common</div>

ADGS

I've not been in the Intrepid Fox since it moved, but I loathed it in the old location - so self-righteously 'alternative'. Went in there in a polo neck once and they pointedly took bloody ages about serving me. <br><br>Somewhere else I've recently found in that line - without the attitude problem - is the Black Heart in Camden, hidden away behind the World's End. <br>

Roy

I like the Fox.  I know what you mean about the service, but I don't think they really do ignore people - I think it's more that they tend to serve their regulars first - but I agree it can be a bit of a wait at the bar when it's busy if they don't know you.  Tip well and you'll get served quickly next time, I'm sure <br><br>roy<br><br>

ADGS

I'm not going to resurrect the thread on this, but the idea of tipping bartenders as standard is US bullshit which I am not going to encourage here, especially when it's not even a reward for good service but essentially a protection racket against continued bad service!<br>

Roy

I don't really have strong opinions one way or the other on the US tipping culture, but anyway, I think we'll just have to agree to differ on the Fox - I did say it's probably not everyone's cup of tea<br>

Roy

Having just returned to London via St Pancras, I felt it only appropriate to have a beer (or two) at the Betjeman Arms (purely for research purposes, you understand).  Mainly it's where I used to end up when visiting London back when I lived in Cambridge, if I had a bit of time to kill, in the years after the Duke of York  closed - so it's interesting to visit it again now I live here, and be able to judge it on its own merits, rather than it just being 'the station pub'.<br><br>Then, it seemed only approrpiate to complete the research by having a beer (or two) at the Parcel Yard - because if you're going to do research, you need to do it properly - there's nothing worse than shoddy research <br><br>roy<br>

Mirandola

N19 is good too. As are/were the Flying Pig and the Maypole in Cambridge.

Roy

Ooh, are we doing Cambridge pubs now?<br><br>The Devonshire Arms is good (no longer a music venue, it's now managed by Individual Pubs and is a CAMRA-award-winning real ale pub).  The Cambridge Blue is good too.  I have a soft spot for the Dobblers (a fairly unremarkable local, but used to be *my* local) and the Live and Let Live is another good real ale pub.  Hmm, Salisbury Arms, Six Bells, Carlton Arms, Green Dragon.  I am quite well versed in the pubs of Cambridge <br><br>Yes, and the Maypole is good; I don't know the Flying Pig well although it seemed like a nice place when I've been there - I know it was under threat of redevelopment at some point in recent years though, so don't know its current status.<br><br><br><br>

Siolae

<p>Loved the Maypole (wish I could remember the name of the Italian owner who was a total sweetheart).  Also fond of the Eagle and quite liked the Barron of Beef.  There was also a good pub on the other side of Midsummer Common but I can't remember what it was called.</p>

Roy

The Fort St George in England (you wouldn't want to confuse it with the one in India <br>

Roy

If not the Fort you're thinking of, there's also the Boathouse and the Old Spring up that way<br>

odd stewart

@Calouste<;br><br>Is the Dalston railway tavern the one at 59 Kingsland High St?<br><br>My mum's parents owned it for years, she grew up upstairs.<br>

ADGS

Cheap cocktails at the Maypole were a thing of joy and wonder. Is it memory's rosy glow, or did their happy hour last all afternoon?<br>

R&J

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">Paid a visit for the first time at the weekend. Will definitely return </font>

Idoru

DNA was invented in the Eagle. (This might not be a true representation of events.)<br>

ADGS

I also recall that story. Inspired by the woodworm trails or something?<br>