Irish pubs are for all year round, not just St. Patrick’s Day. WLC rounds up five of London’s best.
The Twelve Pins
This Finsbury Park pub takes its name from a mountain range in County Galway (also called ‘The Twelve Bens’, but that doesn’t have the same ring to it). As it is a bastion of Arsenal fans, getting a table on a match day might be a bit of an uphill struggle, but it’s worth battling through the sea of Gooners for a Guinness.
The Sheephaven Bay
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This Camden boozer is strewn with scarves, pennants and other such sporting memorabilia. But, beyond the knowingly over-the-top decor, there’s pub grub classics from both sides of the Irish Sea and 30 whiskies to choose from.
The Toucan
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Soho has no shortage of great pubs, but the place to go for Guinness is, unsurprisingly given the brand’s mascot, The Toucan on Carlisle Street. Previously, the site was a Greek restaurant that hosted a disco in its basement, but, since 1994, landlord Colin Taylor has swapped smashing plates for cracking pints.
Skehans
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South of the river, Skehans is a bright green bastion of the Emerald Isle. An Irish friend of this writer goes so far as to call it “the closest to a pub in Ireland as I’ve experienced in London”. Aside from the striking exterior and its prime spot atop Telegraph Hill, the pub also has decent beer, a wood-burning stove and, thanks to nearby restaurant Chai’s, Thai food. Come for the football, stay for the pla jian.
Waxy’s Little Sister
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While the four bar goliath of Waxy O’Connor’s needs no introduction (though the name, a reference to a Dublin candlemaker, may need some explanation), its smaller sibling still has plenty to offer. Just a minute’s walk from her big brother, Waxy’s Little Sister has brought a bit of Hibernia to Chinatown.
Related reading: Where to buy the cheapest pints of Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day
This article was originally published by the drinks business and has been shared with permission.
