If you’re looking to escape the heaving pubs of Soho for drinks with a bit more room to breathe, make a trip to Fitzrovia, filled with age-old taverns and up-to-date boozers. From Fitzrovia pubs you can expect anything from lager-soaked spots to more polished craft beer joints where you can tap into the best London produce – as many of the locals office workers do at the end of the day.
RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Fitzrovia.
Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
What is it? Not a hotspot for sherries but a tiny, tattered, unpretentious and much-loved boozer just off Oxford Street.
Why go? For the semi-secret downstairs room, full of cosy nooks, and the well-stocked vinyl jukebox. Most people choose the curb for summer drinking.
What is it? A trad boozer in Fitzrovia that dates back to 1777.
Why go? This friendly, family-run pub offers a super warm welcome, as well as comedy nights and bingo.
What is it? Thought to be the inspiration for the proles’ pub in Orwell’s ‘1984’, and in business since the 1730s, Fitzrovia’s Newman Arms has a whole lot of history (not to mention its days as a brothel).
Why go? The ground floor is the best bit, once you’ve passed through the continual cloud from smokers next to Newman Passage. It’s a wood-clad space with a sociable layout designed for perching with pints.
What is it? This cosy Sam Smiths boozer on the edge of Fitzrovia is the perfect bolthole in which to escape the hustle and bustle of nearby Oxford Street.
Why go? Inside you’ll find decent pub grub, a dart board that’ll bring out the Ally Pally champ in you and reasonably priced pints of Tadcaster’s finest export: Taddy Lager (well, reasonable for central London.)
What is it? Another beauty of a Sam Smiths boozer, the Fitzroy Tavern is steeped in history.
Why go? A favourite of Dylan Thomas, George Orwell and Augustus John, a drink here might mean some of that artsy, creative energy rubs off on you.
What is it? You'll find this traditional little pub in the backstreets of Fitzrovia, tucked away on Rathbone Place. Apparently it was Dylan Thomas' favourite drinking spot, back in the day.
Why go? It's got a dinky exterior but inside it extends over two floors, with upstairs given over to regular comedy line ups - the improv nights are popular.
What is it? Fitzrovia is teeming with Sam Smiths pubs. Here's another beauty.
Why go? This lovely spot is Grade II listed – check out those stunning stained glass windows and Victorian snob screens.
What is it? A Foley Street freehouse decked in heraldic shields, showing live sport and serving trad pub grub.
Why go? Bob Dylan made one of his first London appearances here, and the pub is still home to monthly folk nights.
What is it? This Fitzrovia pub is, er, directed by Guy Ritchie. Downstairs, there’s a bar with a charming Victorian-looking aesthetic that comes with a vibe that shouts – calmly – lord-of-the-manor. Upstairs is a farm-to-fork restaurant with small plates and sharers.
Why go? The Sunday roasts here verge on the legendary; but there’s an epic waiting list to wade through first.
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