Best London pubs by Conde Nast

[Wapping]

To be honest, I had completely forgotten about this great pub, a proper ‘boozer’. We used to come here a lot when our office was not far away in Houndsditch. Given that there is all but no other pubs in Brick Lane or the streets around, it’s worth remembering:

Pride of Spitalfields

londonist.com

 

[Wapping]

Past times remembered and a pint of excellent London Pride enjoyed, it’s time to head on.

Back out into Brick Land and northwards:



There are still some great houses:



Whilst the streets around names also carry their Bangladeshi equivalent, it’s interesting perhaps that (given local sensitivities) they haven’t renamed them. Integration takes many forms, I guess:

 

[Wapping]

We now cross the Bethnal Green Road, to continue north before turning north east. Before too long we’ll take a tiny detour, just for the sake of it, it first let’s just wander along and see what’s what as we move into Bethnal Green itself:






I am always taken with London’s many small green spaces:







And the oddities you come across:



Well, at least they chain them up. That’s more than you can say for many who abandon their £20,000 motorcycles to chance:

 

[Wapping]

To be continued…..

 

[Wapping]

Up to the now very trendy Columbia Road, home of the East End’s old established flower market each Sunday and past the Birdcage pub, all done up now:



But first the small detour by turning right at the pub and walking along parallel to Columbia Road:



To where I used to live:



I bought the house in the early 80’s for £9,000 with no bathroom, coal and a tin bath under the stairs and an outside loo. I sold it in the mid-to-late 90’s for over £90,000. It last sold for just under a million.

The area has changed enormously in the 45 or so years, since I lived there, Columbia Road all but unrecognisable when it comes to the shops. This was still an active dairy then:





I still like the houses on what is better known as the Jesus Estate:

 

[Wapping]

It’s now time to walk on along Columbia Road to cross the Hackney Road:



Now we have crossed the road and are now in Hackney. The Hackney Road really does mark a boundary line between London’s ‘East End’ and elsewhere. Hackney is very different to Bethnal Green and indeed to Wapping or along the river. It does though have a City Farm:



So let’s go in:

 

[Wapping]

Pigs, ducks, goats, sheep and other beasts of the field done, we can leave the farm but pause at the message board:



And on our way into Hackney itself:



Over the Regent’s Canal:



And on;

 

[Wapping]

Past the cafe and the butcher’s:



And the former pie, mash and eels, which is now an optician’s:



And into, then across another of London’s ‘Green lungs’:

 

[Wapping]

We are now deep in Hackney:



Given the shortage of housing, I always wonder why boarded-up premises are not taken over by official and / or charitable organisations:



I guess some places are just listed for redevelopment?



There’s always something going on:



And new life being breathed into old. These are great buildings to live in:



Past the Hackney Picture House:



Which got me wondering who Princess Christian was. It’s an interesting story in itself:



And onto the Hackney Empire:



Close by Hackney Town Hall, where a wedding was taking place:

Hackney Empire - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Princess Helena of the United Kingdom - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Wapping]

A Victorian princess and theatre behind us, we can move on.

Past the station:



And an amusing piece of graffiti:



To the pub itself, the Pembury Tavern:



It’s a modern ‘trendy’ pub but, as these things go, really not bad. It’s owned (or at least managed) by one of the new start breweries. I am usually not too keen on modern ‘craft’ beers, usually finding them too citrus or hoppy. But, I must say, the two pints I had were pretty good:








Likewise, the pizza was very good, which is a rarity in many places:

The Pembury Tavern: Five Points Beers, ACE Pizza + More

Hackney's The Pembury Tavern is owned and operated by The Five Points Brewing Company, and has an incredible range of beer and ACE Pizza!

pemburytavern.co.uk

The Five Points Brewing Company | Brewery & Taproom

Brewing modern beers inspired by British tradition. Order online with free shipping on UK mainland orders over £50, or visit our Five Points Taproom & Courtyard to enjoy our great beer right at the source! Brewery tours available.

fivepointsbrewing.co.uk

 

[Wapping]

To be continued….

One more pub to go.

 

[wessie]

Novel, a mild at 5.5%. My formative years were drinking Brains and Whitbread dark mild but they were about 3% in the 80s. Some interesting looking ales and nice to see they have a proper best bitter. The brown ale and porter would be worth a try too.

 

[Wapping]

Novel, a mild at 5.5%. My formative years were drinking Brains and Whitbread dark mild but they were about 3% in the 80s. Some interesting looking ales and nice to see they have a proper best bitter. The brown ale and porter would be worth a try too.

I had the best, not least (as with some red wine) I have gone off the higher gravity offerings. Sometimes beers, especially the on-trend stuff, is made ‘powerful’ just for the sake of it.

I’ll be going back to the pub at some point, probably when I go to the cinema. I walked this time, but it’s a comparatively short hop (30 minutes) on public transport.

 

[Jazbee]

I should do a Glasgow version sometime when I’m there. Today before my aunt’s funeral we popped into the Pot Still with my cousin, a good city centre bar.

Home - The Pot Still

With over 1000 whiskies, 4 cracking cask ale lines, proper pies, friendly staff & great service.

thepotstill.co.uk

I wanted to go on to the State Bar, my favourite in the city but the church beckoned.

The State Bar - Scotland's Pubs and Bars

We are a city centre bar that has been on its current site since 1902. It is said that American secret services passed on intelligence here, nowadays the only secret we have is for Kay’s steak pie recipe. We have a strong afternoon trade for our traditional pub fayre, which has a hale and hearty …

www.scotlandspubsandbars.co.uk

Love the State Bar, will be in it this weekend when I'm down in the auld toon, great Chinese restaurant next door as well (Sichuan House). Big thumbs up for the Pot Still as well

 

[er-minio]

Myddleton Arms, just off Essex Road.
Been there a few times with a friend. Lovely pub, good mix of punters too.

Still trying to find another pub in the area (it had palms outside) that was excellent. I have to wander a bit more

 

[Captain jack]

We are now out of Wapping and into Shadwell, moving onto Dock Street, which formed a part of 1934’s Battle of Cable Street, blocking the fascist march:

View attachment 448703View attachment 448704View attachment 448705View attachment 448706View attachment 448707

Ffs!

 

[Wapping]

Ffs!

Sumink troubling you, bruv?

 

[Captain jack]

Sumink troubling you, bruv?

London troubles me

 

[Jazbee]

I should do a Glasgow version sometime when I’m there. Today before my aunt’s funeral we popped into the Pot Still with my cousin, a good city centre bar.

Home - The Pot Still

With over 1000 whiskies, 4 cracking cask ale lines, proper pies, friendly staff & great service.

thepotstill.co.uk

I wanted to go on to the State Bar, my favourite in the city but the church beckoned.

The State Bar - Scotland's Pubs and Bars

We are a city centre bar that has been on its current site since 1902. It is said that American secret services passed on intelligence here, nowadays the only secret we have is for Kay’s steak pie recipe. We have a strong afternoon trade for our traditional pub fayre, which has a hale and hearty …

www.scotlandspubsandbars.co.uk

I'm in the State right now, it's still a cracking pub.....the have 6 guest craft ales for me to work through before the inevitable Guinness .....will call into Pot Still later. Had a lovely meal + beers last night in Rab Ha's in the Merchant City, love that area of Glasgow these days.....Vibrant

 

[Northern jock]

I'm in the State right now, it's still a cracking pub.....the have 6 guest craft ales for me to work through before the inevitable Guinness .....will call into Pot Still later. Had a lovely meal + beers last night in Rab Ha's in the Merchant City, love that area of Glasgow these days.....Vibrant View attachment 459664

Enjoy, it’s a great bar with reliably good beer

And yes, the Merchant City area has a lot to offer