With a beer garden that backs directly onto the River Thames, The Dove is located right next to Furnivall Gardens – aka The Boat Race Official Fan Zone. So if you’re after a prime spot to watch the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and enjoy the self-satisfaction of drinking beer and eating pub grub while other people do exercise, you’ve found the place. This Fullers boozer harks back to the early 18th Century and boasts all the lows beams and wooden panelling you’d expect, but also features a contemporary twist in the greenery-dappled conservatory that leads out into the aforementioned beer garden. In keeping with this old-meets-new theme, you’ll find cask classics rubbing shoulders with guest beers, while there’s also an extensive wine list. The boat race is often a close call, but The Dove is a win any time of the year.
Take a tour
The Dove is just a short stumble from the Fuller’s Brewery, where tours are held on the hour 11am-3pm Tuesday to Saturday and 1-3pm on Sundays. They last an hour and 45 minutes, so you’ll want to quench your thirst afterwards.
Breathe in!
At four-foot-two-inches by seven-foot-10-inches, the pub’s side bar is officially Britain’s Smallest Bar Room. They have a Guinness Book of Records Certificate to prove it and everything.