Gastropub

1 Mercer Walk, London

This is the official home of Guinness in London, and there's a lot to it. Here you'll find two restaurants, a few bars, shops and lots of options for touring the brewery itself. Heading up the food side of things is pip Lacey (previously Hicce), who runs Old Brewer's Yard on the ground floor and the seafood-focused Gilroy's Loft up on the top. Obviously, they'll pour a great pint of Guinness and you shuold also look out for the pies that have been created by pie-master Calum Franklin.

24 N Audley St, London W1K 6WD

The Marlborough is both a great pub an a great pizzeria. Upstairs is the pub, launched with a little help from The Devonshire, so you'll get a great Guinness. Downstairs is where you'll find Crisp, one of London's very best pizzerias, who specialise in the crisp base that they get their name from. A pizza and a pint here will be one of the best meals in the area, but be warned as it can get very busy.

4 Ganton Street, London W1F 7QL

The Shaston Arms is the latest project from Patty & Bun founder Joe Grossmann, following the success of The Watermans Arms in Barnes. This new Soho pub takes over the former Shaston Arms site on Ganton Street, keeping the spirit of a classic boozer while adding a stronger dining focus. Chef Sam Andrews (ex-Ducksoup) from The Watermans Arms leads the kitchen once again, creating a menu that blends comforting pub classics with a few refined touches.

35 Blandford Street, London W1U 7HA

The Hart is the newest opening from Public House Group (The Pelican, The Hero). Sitting on the corner of Chiltern Street and Blandford Street, the pub's name refers to the 1840s Hart family, known for great food, drinks and warm hospitality. The ground floor serves British beers and bar snacks like pork scratchings and chicken liver toast, while upstairs the dining room features nostalgic dishes such as crab cakes, steak & potatoes and banoffee pie. Everything focuses on seasonal produce from the group’s Market Garden at Bruern Farms.

310 Portobello Rd, London W10 5TA

The Fat Badger comes from the same team behind The Pelican, also in Notting Hill, and it continues the theme set by that pub, namely a great pub which also has a fantastic menu. Set on the first and second floors (it's above Canteen restaurant), the food is hearty and you're quite likely to see an odd local celeb or two in here.

16 Grove Lane, London SE5 8SY

This pub comes from the team who also run the very well-reviewed (and award-winning) The Baring in Islington. This pub has a seasonal, sustainable approach to the regularly changing menu, but keep an eye out for the fantastic pizza dough bites with taramasalata. There's a separate bar area if you're dropping in for a drink so it's still very much in "proper pub" territory.

25 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6JX

The Knave of Clubs brings together James Dye (The Camberwell Arms, Franks) Benjy Leibowitz (JKS and The NoMad in NYC) and Patrick Powell (Allegra and Chiltern Firehouse) for a proper pub in Shoreditch. Walk-in only, as you'd expect from most pubs, this puts drink front and centre but that's backed up by a great menu from Powell, which centres around Rotisserie chicken, along with top-notch snacks like their prawn scotch egg.

17 Denman Street, London W1D 7HW

One of Soho's biggest success stories, The Devonshire is a team-up between top landlord Oisin Rogers, founder of Flat Iron Charlie Carroll, and chef Ashley Palmer-Watts. Downstairs, the pub sells some of the best Guinness in London (as well as unique features like three hidden snugs). The wood-ember grill upstairs takes classic grill dishes and elevates them considerably, with some of the best lamb chops in London, a great suet pie and a standout chocolate mousse. if you're lucky, you'll be invited into the celeb-heavy Green Room downstairs, but every element of the building is a roaring success.

340-342 Essex Road, London N1 3PB

It might be a pub in name and looks, but both the bar snacks and dining room menus reveal a creative hand in the kitchen, from the jerk spiced Scotch eggs to the curry emulsion that comes with the cuttlefish arancini. Expect a strong seafood offering too.

45 All Saints Road, London W11 1HE

This pub has undergone many iterations over its long lifespan but the newest revival has been a big hit with foodies and critics alike. The cosy atmosphere provides a backdrop to the small plates menu with dishes showcasing the local produce; their link to the local neighbourhood increases with regular events such as movie nights and Pilates classes.

15 Langham Pl, Marylebone, London W1B 3DE

Part of The Langham hotel, this is run by Michel Roux but it's much more like a standalone gastropub - and as such is one of the handiest drinking dens in the area. That said, the food is well worth a look too - the pies and masala scotch egg particularly.

55 Shirland Rd, London W9 2JD

The Hero saw the team behind The Pelican take The Hero at Maida and completely revamp it, with a stripped-back look that really showcases the rooms beautifully. Food here comes in two parts. There's the pub food downstairs, which features pub snacks and classics like ham, egg and chips while there's a proper grill restaurant upstairs.

254 Hackney Road, London, E2 7SJ

This pub from two St John veterans, Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram is both one of Hackney's best pubs and best restaurants. Downstairs in the pub, make sure to get one of their excellent beef and barley buns, while upstairs it's an actual crime to leave without trying their brown butter & honey tart, one of London's best desserts. Their Sunday roasts are exceptional too.

44 Barnsbury St, Islington, London N1 1ER

This Islington pub is tucked down a quiet side street and remains one of the prettiest pubs in the borough. Run by Nick Gibson, the menu is a modern take on British pub grub. Grab a table in the garden if the weather's behaving itself.

4 Compton Ave, London N1 2XD

The Compton Arms has been a tiny Islington mainstay for many years but has really blossomed since its most recent revamp. Originally the home for Four Legs and Tiella, the kitchen is now run by Rake, offering a modern take on classic dishes with a distinct seafood focus.

159 Farringdon Rd, Farringdon, London EC1R 3AL

The Eagle in Clerkenwell is often credited as the first modern gastropub - with restaurant-quality food being served inside a pub. Many years down the line, it's still a reliable spot for a good meal, serving up a seasonal menu in a faintly ramshackle pub. The steak sandwiches are some of the best in town.

28 Chilworth St, London W2 6DT

Part of a boutique collection of pubs, a quick look at this popular gastropub’s menus shows that its food offering is a cut above the usual boozer. With plenty to please both vegetarians and meat eaters alike, the sustainable and seasonal offering makes this somewhere to return to again and again.

King's Cross Station London N1C 4AH

Parcel Yard is an all-day Fullers pub inside the station, with a seasonal menu inspired by the best of British. Think dishes like lamb’s liver with bubble & squeak and red wine gravy and they also have a great kids menu. It's perfect for a quick drink before you grab a train.

90 Gloucester Ave., London NW1 8HX

A real stalwart of the north London food scene, The Lansdowne first opened its doors in 1992 in Primrose Hill and is a classic British pub. On the menu is a mixture of Mediterranean and British dishes, from French onion soup to slow-cooked oxtail and cheek stew with mash.

55 Baring St, London N1 3DS

This pub (previously The Poet) is reborn as The Baring with an impressive team behind it. In the kitchen is Rob Tecwyn (ex Dabbous and Kerridge's) and the pub is run by Adam Symonds (ex Orasay and Six Portland Road). They're offering up a a seasonal menu, showcasing provenance and aiming for a low environmental impact.

19 Perth Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 3HB

The first time someone sees the garden at this rambling Irish/Thai pub in the back streets of Finsbury Park they’re always taken aback. Over five floors of terraces, like a crazed boozy treehouse the pub features all manner of nooks and crannies to drink in. The Guinness is good and the Thai menu always goes down a treat. Busy - as you’d expect - on any kind of big sporting event days.

20 Fonthill Rd, London N4 3HU

A popular Irish pub which has made quite a thing of its Sunday roasts which are, in our own humble opinion, bloody marvellous. There’s a nice wraparound terrace too if you’re looking for drinks in the sunshine.

86 Fulham Road, London SW3 6HR

Sourcing from top quality suppliers, the aim of this South Ken pub is to make you feel like you’re in a country pub in the heart of the city. But this is SW3 so obviously there’s caviar on the menu alongside chicken and leek pithiviers.

47 Hereford Rd, London W2 5AH

Ben Tish is now in charge of the menus at all Cubitt House pubs, although the Princess Royal was their first brand-new pub in the group in years. An immediate local hit (the huge garden and terrace certainly helps) it has a Mediterranean-led menu focusing on seasonal fish and shellfish all set inside a gorgeous-looking gastropub.

89 Westbourne Park Rd, London W2 5QH

This Notting Hill pub is highly rated by locals, having been a success for over 25 years. The ethos is "Eat heartily and give the house a good name'" which has given London this lovely, modern gastropub, with a strong selection of oysters and shellfish. The seafood platters are a particular draw here - and even if you're just popping in for a drink, a plate of oysters is strongly recommended.

240 St John St, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 4PH

This Clerkenwell pub has a long history in Clerkenwell and may only be second in line to The Eagle when it comes to pubs that went "gastro". Settle in downstairs for more traditional pub fare, or head to the upstairs restaurant if you're after something a little more fancy.

42 Osborn St, Shadwell, London E1 6TD

The team responsible for The Culpeper in Aldgate have a new project - they've opened this pub and hotel on Brick Lane which has a residents-only rooftop terrace.

139 Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London W10 6HJ

The KPH (Kensington Park Hotel) has been pretty legendary in Ladbroke Grove for a while, with a big music following and the place of Tom Jones first London gig. A recent-ish makeover and relaunch has won it popularity with a new crowd

43 Choumert Rd, Peckham, London SE15 4AR

This Peckham pub’s menu reads too good to be true, given how little it’s shouted about, but the food is consistently brilliant. There’s a focus on seafood, delivered daily from Cornwall and cooked perfectly by head chef Jake Chappel-Kelly, but everything from the meat to the vegetarian options are inspired.

49 Chiswell Street, London, EC1Y 4SA

Just up the road from the Martin Bros' Chiswell Street Dining Room is another Martin gastropub, and this time the theme is a British pub with a "real wine and food focus" and an open kitchen with rotiserrie and charcoal grilled food on offer. As with the Dining Room, it's also attached to the old Whitbread brewery, opened as a luxury hotel from Montcalm.