The Argyll Arms
18 Argyll Street, W1V 1AA
0171 734 6117
Spectacular Victorian pub round the corner from Oxford Circus. It looks great from the front and has bags of swank - and bags of space - inside.
The Audley
41 Mount Street, W1Y 5RB
0171 499 1843
Pubs do not come much grander than The Audley. The first Duke of Westminster had it built in red brick and pink terracotta, neo-French Renaissance like the rest of the street - a style that would not offend the most fastidious gentleman's gentleman.
Bell and Crown
72 Strand On The Green, W4 3PF
0181-994 4164
Strand on the Green wanders for half a mile along the river bank at Chiswick with beech trees and weeping willows and lovely 18th-century houses.
The Belle Vue
1 Clapham Common, SW4 7AA
0171-498 9473
Three large pubs and a good many smaller ones ring Clapham Common underground.
The Blackbird
209 Earls Court Road, SW5 9AN
0171-835 1855
A funny thing happened to the Earls Court Road branch of Barclay's Bank. One day it turned into a pub.
Brendan O'Grady's
67-69 Kennington Road, SE1 7PZ
0171 928 5974
This place was transformed from a touristy Cockney ale house to a themed Irish pub a few years ago. It appears the English like it.
Bull's Head
15 Strand on the Green, W4 3PQ
0181 994 1204
High tide, low tide, this is a lovely site for a pub. It's been there for almost 400 years.
Burlington Burtie
:39-45 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1V 7HB
0171 437 0847
Big, comfortable pub that packs them in due to central W1 location and late opening. Live bands and disco every Friday and Saturday.
The Case is Altered
High Road, Eastcote, Middlesex, HA5
0181-866 0476
The Case Is Altered is a true rarity, a Grade I listed pub. It's a lovely old pub with a red pantiled roof and white walls. The Case Is Altered is smaller than it looks, two bars, neither very big, both with low oakbeamed ceilings, one with the original 17th century flagstones.
Chelsea Square
145 Dovehouse Street, SW3 6LB
0171-351 1155
This pub, formerly the Princess of Wales (named after Queen Alexandra when she held the title) was seriously down on its luck until the arrival of Nicky Kerman. He has taken it effortlessly, stratospherically upmarket.

Cheshire Cheese 5 Little Essex Street, WC2R 3LD 0171 836 2347 Not to be confused with the better-known Cheshire Cheese 10 minute's walk away, this old pub is alleged to have a ghost which knocks over beer barrels in the dead of night. The City Barge 27 Strand on the Green, W4 3PH 0181 994 2148 After the war, The City Barge was rebuilt on the original 1484 foundations. Big bar upstairs, small, homely, old-fashioned bar downstairs. The Clachan 34 Kingly Street, W1R 5LA 0171 734 2659 Neatly tucked in beside the bridge that connects Liberty's, the Clachan has a vaguely Scottish feel which is particularly evident on Burn's night. The Clarence 53 Whitehall, SW1A 2HP 0171 930 4808 A truly original traditional pub with an interesting history. Tourists flock in their dozens. The Cocoanut 16 Mill Street, Kingston Upon Thames, KT1 2RF 0181-546 3978 The Cocoanut, as the landlord will tell you, is the only pub with this name in the country and there aren't many cocoanuts left with this spelling either. The Coleherne 261 Old Brompton Road, SW5 9JA 0171-373 9859 The Coleherne is a cavernous Victorian pub in Earls Court. It is the most famous gay pub in the world. Crocker's Folly 24 Aberdeen Place, NW8 8JR 0171 286 6608 An impressive-looking pub with marble columns, marble counters, massive baronial fireplaces and hand pumps. Worth a visit just to see the décor. The Crooked Billet 14 Crooked Billet, SW19 4RQ 0181 946 4942 Said to be almost 500 years old, The Crooked Billet, is allegedly where Cromwell's father died. Has undergone refurbishment recently. The Crown and Greyhound 73 Dulwich Village, SE21 7BJ 0181 693 2466 An enormous, busy south London pub with restaurant and function rooms. The Dove Freehouse And Kitchen 22-24 Broadway Market, E8 4QJ 0171-275 7617 If you're a beer-lover and you wouldn't say no to some of the best pub food on offer in London, then head directly for The Dove Freehouse and Kitchen in Broadway Market.

The Dublin Castle 94 Parkway, NW1 7AN 0171 485 1773 A long established influential music venue on the pub circuit. The Elephant and Castle Newington Causeway, SE1 6BN 0171 357 9134 There are five Elephant & Castles in London, and this one is actually in Elephant & Castle. Its pool table is in daily use, and so too is the juke box. The Enterprise 35 Walton Street, SW3 2HU 0171 584 3148 The Enterprise is handsome, stylish and serves reasonably expensive food. Popular ever since Diana, Princess of Wales, was seen here having lunch with chums. Ferret and Firkin 114 Lots Road, Chelsea, SW10 0RJ 0171 352 6645 The Ferret shows how well the classic Firkin style wears. There's a brewhouse in the cellar which produces copious quantities of a bitter called Balloonastic. The best bitter is Ferret Ale (3.5%), and they make Dogbolter (5.6%) and Full Mash Mild (3.4%) too. Part of the Firkin Pubs group The Fox and Grapes Camp Road, SW19 4UN 0181 946 5599 A cosy, comfortable bar with a low wooden ceiling supported by huge oak pillars on Wimbledon Common. The Fox and Pheasant 1 Billing Road, SW10 9UJ 0171 352 2943 An extraordinarily pretty country pub created 200 years ago with hanging baskets, antique lanterns, exposed beams and a big log fireplace. The Garden House 201 Castelnau, SW13 9ER 0181 600 0931 It is a good-looking pub: Regency facade, pillared terrace, country-house saloon bar. Its walled garden, though, is the prime attraction. George IV 185 High Road, W4 2DR 0181 994 4624 Fuller's seventh old English Ale and Pie house. The house speciality is Georgie Porgie Pie - pork and apple in a creamy cider sauce. The Gloucester 187 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QR 0171 235 0298 A small comfortable pub in the heart of Knightsbridge convenient for Harrods and Harvey Nichols. The Goldengrove 146-148 The Grove, Stratford,, E15 1NS 0181 519 0750 Goldengrove is light and comfortable and has as rural a beer garden as you could wish, the tables pleasantly placed under pergolas and everything blooms in season. Part of the J.D. Wetherspoon group

The Grouse and Claret Little Chester Street, SW1X 7AP 0171 235 3438 A very Chelsea swanky pub, with a grouse-moor mural over the front door, a public bar on the left and a big handsome saloon bar on the right and a restaurant The Scandinavian upstairs. The Hand In Hand 6 Crooked Billet, SW19 4RQ 0181 946 5720 This is a lovely village pub composed of four cottages run together with a pretty south-facing courtyard. The Hereford Arms 127 Gloucester Road, SW7 4TE 0171 370 4988 A very popular, upmarket pub where the music is quiet and the food traditional and filling. The Hobgoblin 95 Effra Road, SW6 1NQ 0171 501 9671 It is a popular venue with exceptional variety, techno, rap, and latin but occasional tap-dancing too and classical guitar and stand-up comedy every week. Hollywood Arms Hollywood Road, SW10 9HX 0171 349 9274 A popular destination for Chelsea's young and it is surrounded on all sides by good little restaurants. Horniman at Hay's Hay's Galleria, Tooley Street, SE1 2HD 0171 407 3611 Expansive, confident and glossy with a long polished mahogany counter with its choice of five real ales. There's also a café with good fast food where children are welcome. Jack Straw's Castle North End Way, NW3 7ES 0171 435 8885 A famous old coaching inn with a fiery history. Now occupies one of the highest points in London with fine views over Hampstead Heath. King William IV 786 Harrow Road, NW10 5JX 0181-969 5944 When Carlos Horrillo and Patrick Morcas came across this run-down pub, they snapped it up with the idea of opening a massive food-focused venue. They scraped back all the paintwork retaining as many of the original features as possible, and uncovering along the way a huge solid oak bar. The three spacious rooms and a patio garden were ready for business. All that was needed was the services of Sarah Rowden (ex Launceston Place) and Rufus Deakin (ex Kensington Place) to prepare the excellent value-for-money food. The Leinster Arms 17 Leinster Terrace, W2 3EU 0171 723 5757 A successful, award-winning pub that serves good food all day and is run by the ever-personable Mrs Olive McCarthy. The Marlborough 46 Friar Stile Road, Richmond, TW10 6NQ 0181 940 0572 This is a particularly good find, off Richmond Hill. This is worth making a detour with its wonderful walled garden which seemingly goes for miles.

The Mitre 24 Craven Terrace, W2 3QH 0171 262 5240 Recently refurbished by Whitbread to its former beauty as a Grade II listed Victorian building. This pub is full of atmosphere and is thought to have a friendly ghost. The Monkey Puzzle 30 Southwick Street, W2 1JQ 0171 723 0143 The storm blew the monkey puzzle tree down, the very one the pub was named after. Fingers are now crossed for the newly planted young monkey puzzle tree in its place. The Mulberry Bush Upper Ground, SE1 9PP 0171 928 7940 The Mulberry Bush is a fine modern pub situtated in the new Coin Street development. The Nightingale 97 Nightingale Lane, SW12 8NX 0181 673 1637 This pub has a delightful and secluded paved garden, the perfect place for a quiet drink on a summer's evening. The Old Bell Tavern 95 Fleet Street, EC4Y 1DH 0171 583 0070 A former Fleet Street journalists' haunt, it is now a lawyers', and bankers', pub and is doing well again. The Old Bull and Bush North End Road, NW3 7HE 0181 455 3685 The Old Bull and Bush, is probably the most famous pub in the world. Yes it was the song that did it. Old Thameside Inn 2 Clink Street, SE1 9DG 0171 403 4243 The Old Thameside Inn has just had a great stroke of luck. A major tourist attraction has moved next door, the Golden Hinde no less. Plus the new Globe Theatre is a near neighbour too. The Pineapple 53 Hercules Road, SE1 7DZ 0171-928 6579 A once ambitious Victorian gin palace, now a cheerful, workaday Lambeth local. The Prince of Teck 161 Earls Court Road, SW5 9RQ 0171 373 3107 A handsome Australian pub complete with boomerangs and kangaroo. The Rose and Crown 55 High Street, SW19 5BA 0181 947 4713 Another former Evening Standard Pub of the Year but back in 1970. Families and trekkers gather after their constitutional on the Common. Serves hot and cold food.

The Rose of York Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 6UY 0181 948 5867 A most appealing country pub with a big comfortable bar and good traditional food. You can get bed and breakfast here. Sherlock Holmes 10-11 Northumberland Street, WC2N 5DA 0171 930 2644 The landlord reckons this is the most photographed pub in London and he's no longer surprised to be woken at 3am by someone on the street taking pictures. It is a unique tourist attraction and they come in their droves. The Sporting Page 6 Camera Place, SW10 0BH 0171 376 3694 A small pub that does big business in champagne mainly to satisfy the clientele of City types, the old military brigade and erstwhile public schoolboys getting up to their usual antics. A popular menu ensures a big crowd. Best time to go is lunchtimes and Saturday evenings. The Swan 66 Bayswater Road, W2 3PH 0171 262 5204 An extremely pretty pub that serves hearty English breakfasts from 10am and roast lunches. T. E. Dingwalls 11 Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AL 0171 267 0545 This Camden Lock pub has seven real ales on the hand pumps, Tex-Mex food and a sensational terrace with wooden decking and parades of tables and benches. The Tattershall Castle King's Reach, Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2HR 0171 839 6548 Scottish & Newcastle renewed this old coal-fired paddle steamer to make her ship-shape and ready for a new career as a floating pub. Tufnell Park Tavern 162 Tufnell Park Road, N7 0EE 0171 272 2078 This long, low, stylish pub was built in the 30s with room for half of Tufnell Park. If you are seriously into jazz this is your place. The Two Chairmen 1 Warwick House Street, SW1Y 5AT 0171 930 1166 In a little street just off Trafalgar Square, this is a narrow four-storeyed house with a cosy, panelled bar on the ground floor. The Wellington 351 The Strand, WC2R 0HS 0171 836 0513 This is a small pub but it has an excellent position at the end of the Strand and next to the Lyceum Theatre. The White Horse 1 Parson's Green, SW6 4UL 0171 736 2115 This is an extrovert, cheerful place overlooking Parson's Green with a distinctly Sloaney clientele - known locally as the Sloaney Pony.

The White Swan The Riverside, Twickenham, TW1 3DN 0181 892 2166 The rugby supporter's friend, outside The White Swan there are terraces and balconies, crooked windows, hanging baskets and troughs of flowers; inside there is old wood and real ale. The Wilton Arms 71 Kinnerton Street, SW1X 8ED 0171 235 4854 A superior public house, The Wilton Arms has some most distinguished neighbours. High settles and bookcases give the big bar a number of pleasantly separate drinking areas. Plus there are some jolly good books in the bookcases. The Windmill on the Common Clapham Common Southside, SW4 9DE 0181 673 4578 The Windmill is in terrific form. It has a big, wandering bar with tropical fish in tanks, a spacious conservatory for non-smokers, an excellent restaurant and an adjoining hotel that comes 'highly commended'.