Top 10 Fireplace Pubs in London
If you’re excited for autumn – the frosty mornings, the pumpkin carving, the new Lidl Halloween chocolate range - but not so much for the dwindling social engagements that inevitably come along with it, then you’re not alone. Although autumn is very picturesque, I personally miss the rooftop bars, the boozy park picnics, and the seemingly endless daylight that comes along with summer. As the days get shorter and our coats get longer, we’re all beginning to crave time spent indoors. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice your social life. There are plenty of pubs that cultivate the same homely, snug atmosphere that you’ll find in front of the tele. The only difference being that there’s a much better selection of alcohol available in the pub – I’m looking at you, half-drunk bottle of glitter raspberry gin liqueur I haven’t touched since June.
Something that is pretty essential to this snug, cosy pub atmosphere is a roaring fire. There’s nothing like cradling a ginormous glass of wine, whilst listening to your mates bang on about their latest relationship drama and zoning out in front of a fire. I’ve scoured London to bring you some of the best pubs in which you can do just that.
1. Rose, Fulham
What makes it so great: Described as a village pub in the middle of Hammersmith and Fulham, the most village-like of all the boroughs, the Rose in Harwood Terrace is the perfect place to put your feet up, treat yourself to a portion of triple-cooked-chips, and enjoy their open fireplace with your friends. Previously named the Legless Ladder and the Fulham Tup, we hope the Rose stays under its latest management for a long time to come. They’ve even got a walled garden, for if you fancy venturing out in the cold.
Find out more here.
2. Chesham Arms, Hackney
What makes it so great: Forget one fireplace, how about two?! Recently renovated, this boozer in Hackney really looks like your textbook British pub. Boardgames and Claret-coloured walls will make you feel at right at home – except it’s better than your home because it’s got booze in it. Plus, no fighting over who gets the seats nearest the fire as you’ve got two to choose from. Bliss…
Check it out here.
3. The Holly Bush, Hampstead
What makes it so great: In a world of chain pubs, whether they be Greene King or Wetherspoons, The Holly Bush is the ultimate tonic. Located on a picturesque hilltop backstreet, this pub is a Grade II-listed building. It was built as a house in the 1790s and used as the Assembly Rooms in the 1800s – centuries later, it later a pub in 1928. The same air of 1920s faded glamour and homespun charm remains, with three low-ceilinged bar areas and a roaring fire to warm yourselves up with after a bracing stroll across the Heath.
Take a peek here.
4. The Ivy House, Peckham
What makes it so great: This pub is like the I, Daniel Blake of drinking establishments. – I hope Ken Loach makes a film about it. In 2012, the owners gave their tenants one week’s notice to ship out after selling the property to developers. Instead of going quietly, the tenants set about raising £1 million with the help of the local community to buy the pub and turn it into a cooperative. You can see why they wanted to save it – in a Grade-II listed building, with original beams, wall-to-wall wood panelling, leaded windows and an open fire, this place is something special.
Look here!
5. Antelope, Tooting
What makes it so great: The only thing that makes a pub with an open fire better is if it also has tasty food. That’s what makes this pub in Tooting so special. Not only is this place a brilliant gastropub but it also has *three* different fireplaces dotted around - two coal-burning options in the bar and dining room, and a wood fire in the games room. You can be sure they’ll never be a fight for the armchair nearest the hearth.
Click here for more.
6. The Albion, Islington
What makes it so great: A throwback to a time when Islington was all green fields and roaming cattle, The Albion boasts eighteenth-century wood-panelled interiors, a roaring fireplace straight out of the Georgian period, and a wisteria-lined façade. We love this place for its traditional British menu offering its diners cheeseboards, fish and chips, and that classic, sticky toffee pudding.
Find out more here.
Credit: Albion
7. The Dove, Hammersmith
What makes it so great: I wouldn’t usually include a chain pub on any list – down with corporate capitalism and all that – but The Dove is an exception, mostly because it is the OG chain pub. It was literally turned into a pub in the late 1700s by Mr Fullers himself. With this in mind, it’s no wonder the full range of Fuller’s ales are always available the bar; they’re all in excellent condition too. With a fire in the winter, and a riverside terrace overlooking the houseboats, this place is well worth a visit.
Find out more here.
8. The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell
What makes it so great: Proving that you don’t have to be an old pub to have an olde-worlde charm, The Jerusalem Tavern has only been going since the 90s, but it has already made its mark in the City of London. The beer on tap is from the superb (and organic) St Peter’s Brewery in Suffolk. The coal-burning fire, just to the right beyond the entrance, fits perfectly with the surroundings. This pub proves that less really is more.
Look here for more.
Credit: Roaming with Chris
9. The Mayflower, Rotherhithe
What makes it so great: The Mayflower is one of those pubs that tries to lay claim to the title of the oldest pub on the Thames – whether or not that is true remains to be seen, but The Mayflower certainly has a long and eclectic history! It was founded in 1550 as The Shippe and is said to be in the same location where its namesake was docked before departing for the New World in 1620. With a terrace overlooking the Thames or a fireplace overlooking the very well-stocked bar, there’s something for everybody here.
Check it out here.
10. Clapton Hart, Clapton
What makes it so great: This is a serious hipster pub, but it isn’t style over substance. With a half-finished look and cavernous bar, this place is kept toasty warm by three traditional wood fires - two in the front bar, one in the dining room. The Clapton Hart also serves a simple food menu together with a delightful selection of British-brewed real ales including Deuchars IPA and Redemption Trinity.
Click here now!
Credit: Clapton Hart
So there you have it - an ode to the archtypal British pub, gastro food and log burning fires and all.
Words by Rebecca Clayton