The Barley Mow

Independently owned boozers are hard to come by in central London these days, and this charming little corner pub is a particularly rare gem. The Grade II-listed spot was built in 1791, and little about the building has been changed since the Georgian era. Legend has it that the wooden snugs either side of the bar gave local farmers a bit of privacy when they met here to barter over goods privacy, and the atmosphere remains more akin to a country inn than a city centre boozer. On the bar you’ll find a decent range of commercial beers and more niche picks on draught, with a solid roster of cask offerings on rotation, from the likes of Adnams, 5 Points, Dark Star, St Austell’s, Timothy Taylor and Windsor & Eaton. Food-wise, it serves up Pieminster pies during the week, with roast pop-ups or ‘stout and oyster’ sessions on Sundays. There’s a real community feel about the place, thanks to live music nights, a weekly quiz on Tuesdays and a pretty competitive darts league dating back to the 1980s.