Leafy Hammersmith in West London is home to an array of ‘proper’ pubs, from Victorian corner establishments with their high ceilings and wooden floorboards, to the pretty riverside spots that are perfect for a pint. There’s a lot of history swirling amongst the pints and peanuts around Hammersmith, so discover the best pubs below.
The beautiful stonework of the Queen’s Head is more often found in a country village pub, with a cricket green out front, but this pub is in leafy Brook Green and it’s deceptively large with a big modern beer garden out the back. Modern British cuisine hits the hunger spot with classics such as British ham hock terrine.
One of a small new chain of pubs focusing on craft beer and plenty of hipster charm; think brick walls and an industrial vibe. In Hammersmith the pub serves up plenty of comfort food – loaded tacos, ribs and fries, burgers and Oreo sundaes. The pub also couldn’t be better placed; moments from the Tube and backed onto what was the Hammersmith Palais, where anyone who was anyone performed.
The Dove is what you imagine when you think of a London pub that’s centuries old. Hidden away on a backstreet by the river, there’s been a pub here since the 1600s and plenty of notable characters have called in for a drink, including Charles II who used to wine and dine his mistress Nell Gwynne here. Cosy up by the fire in winter, and see if you can spot the plaque to mark how high the waters came up in 1928.
A new pub for the area, this Young’s bar opened last summer and teamed up with Banger Bros to bring drinkers gourmet hot dogs, sausage and mash and epic burgers. Sip craft ales and a selection of British gins in the charming walled beer garden or break out a boardgame.
While Hammersmith is big on pubs, decent cocktails bars are harder to find. Smith’s is hidden away in the basement of the Brook Green Hotel. The upmarket speakeasy feel makes it easy to lose an evening in here and there’s a decent book of cocktails to work your way through. Try a French Martini and feel positively divine.
One of the Young’s chain of pubs, The Old Ship is a modern incarnation of an old boozer. It’s where you want to head to for the Oxford vs Cambridge Boat Race every Spring, as there’s no better riverfront spot to sip a pint. With a balcony and a large terrace this is a quintessential Hammersmith pub.
Another riverside spot is The Rutland, which comes alive in the summer when it’s full of people after work soaking up a bit of sun. Expect British classics like fish n’ chips here, with plenty of pale ales and a lot of local charm.
This elegant corner pub in Hammersmith is one of the area’s most popular. Partly possibly because it has 11 beers and lagers on tap and the wine cellar runs to 60 wines. Food here is a step above your normal pub grub (think Hampshire beef blade served with smoked aubergine puree) and the focus is on seasonal and local ingredients.
