Complete with hanging baskets, dark wooden panels and gold lettering, The Gunmakers looks like a proper, old-school boozer. And it is, to an extent – a nineteenth-century pub given an update by the folks behind Bermondsey bar Nine Lives. They’ve kept original details (the mirrors embossed with ‘gunmakers’ are a nice touch) and have added a space upstairs decked out like a living room that feels cosy without being overcrowded. The most popular spot is a lovely garden hidden at the back, decorated with fairy lights, lanterns and hanging foliage. But here’s a twist: on the top floor you’ll find The Gun Club, the pub’s barber shop, which is worth avoiding if you make bad decisions after a few pints.
Modern trappings extend to the bar, too. It stocks classy canned cocktails from Ace + Freak (produced by the same company that owns the pub). I was initially a bit sceptical – even though I love a G&T tinny – but I was pleasantly surprised by a zingy watermelon and cucumber sangria. The food menu has a New Orleans vibe with dishes including creole shrimp burgers, jambalaya arancini and crawfish mac ’n’ cheese.
With so many cosy nooks and crannies, this is a great spot for after-work drinks. You might have to fight it out for a seat in the garden, though.