Hey friends & welcome back to Lee Loves Travel.

If you follow me on Instagram (@leelovestravel), you’ll know I was recently in London at the same time as the coronation. I could share a million and one recommendations for London but right now I want to focus on something better… where you should grab a Sunday roast & a pint!

On my most recent trip, my best friend and I wound up creating our very own self-guided pub crawl through the Seven Dials/Covent Garden area and it became the best day of the entire trip. If you’ve never been to London, this is a must see and a completely walkable area. You’re right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of London including Regent’s Street (which was epic to see during the coronation) but also walk a block in another direction and you’re on cobblestone streets. Plus you’ll be right in the middle of the theater district if you want to grab a show. They are so much cheaper than going to Broadway in New York City. I highly, highly recommend making this area a must see. And what better way to see the area but to drink and eat through it?

These are just some of the pubs we visited and we were able to walk through the entire 7 Dials & Covent Garden area. You can make this as short or as long as you want. There are other restaurants and bars along the way should you want to keep going or adjust the route at all. All of the pubs we chose or tried to choose were traditional British pubs dating back to the 1880s and the time of Dickens (literally). I recommend taking advantage of the area and in between pubs, exploring a bit. This isn’t the exact route we took, because we ended up having to make adjustments based on some pubs being closed, but if I were to re-do it this is how I would.

1) Grab a bite and a pint at The Wellington

You’re on a self-guided pub crawl. You’re going to need to fuel up and I recommend doing so at The Wellington. It has a reputation for having the “the best pies” according to the signs and their website. But really, I did get a Steak & Nicholson’s Pale Ale Pie with mashed potatoes and it was by far one of the best meals I had in London. My bestie said the burger was also delicious. Now to be fair by the time we got there, we were already two pints in but nevertheless this pub screams classic British pub.

We didn’t start here and I wish we did, because we wound up having to turn back around and walk back to the area we had just come from. There’s not a ton of other pubs in the area so start here and end in the better area. It also has a great outdoor area with ample seating that the other pubs lacked. There are also tons of other places along the way to eat so if you just want to get to the drinking started- go for it! Most pubs take reservations which could be an option if you are definitely looking to sit or have a larger group.

The pub itself has an interesting background. It’s named after Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, who famously defeated Napoleon in 1815 and then went on to become Prime Minister. The pub used to be located elsewhere but burned down in a fire. That’s when it moved to the building it’s located in back in the early 1900s. 

Get a nice buzz going here because you have a 10 minute walk to your next place.

2) Walk the 10 minutes to the Seven Dials to your next stop: The Crown

OK, I have been to The Crown not once, but twice now. The location makes it perfect for exploring the Seven Dials and Neal’s Yard and grabbing a drink in the middle. The Seven Dials deserves to be seen but I don’t think warrants a full day spent there. Most of the shops located here are chain stores that you can find elsewhere, but it is a beautifully slower-paced part of London. The area itself was known for being a breeding ground for disease, crime and prostitution and became one of London’s notorious slums, being featured in several Charles Dickens publications. Not that you would never know that now with the upper- class stores and restaurants. 

The Crown is perfectly situated in the center of the 7 ionic streets the area is named after. I can’t speak much to the food, but they have a standard British pub menu & the beers are decent. I think what I love most about this pub is the area it’s in and the vibe. Everyone who works there is friendly and the crowd is a mix of tourists and locals- which is what we want to experience in a traditional pub. 

The pub itself opened its doors in 1833 and was frequently visited by several famous Londoners including the very own Charles Dickens who mentions this specific pub in several publications of his.

This will be the last “far” walk of the day- the next three pubs are all a mere feet of one another which makes it perfect for bouncing back and forth depending on your vibe. 

3) The Lamb and the Flag

This is by far one of the most famous old-school pubs in the area. If you look up “the best pubs in London” you’ll almost always find this place listed. You also might miss it if you’re not really looking for it. Literally you need to find a little sign that points you down an alleyway. Yep- an alleyway. 

This is another pub that takes reservations and also has a separate dining room for those wishing to eat. We didn’t eat here but there were lots of people waiting in line to eat if they didn’t have reservations. This place was packed and there were no seats so we wound up standing outside in their courtyard where we were able to meet a couple of really nice individuals. It was a mix of tourists, locals and others from all over the UK but overall the pub was lively and had good vibes. 

The building itself dates back to the Tudor times and the pub opened its doors in the 1800s. It has a rather seedy underbelly, hosting bare-knuckle boxing matches in what now is the dining room. It was also known for being frequented by Charles Dickens and also other prominent Londoners at the time.

4. The Round House

Hopefully at this point, you’re feeling pretty good and maybe ready to switch over from beer to gin? This place is home to gin from all around the world and could be worth tasting one of their yummy cocktails. 

The Round House is located literally across the street from the Lamb and the Flag so you can always see how the vibe is before making the very long 1 minute trek. Another classic British pub, I feel like this might be one of the ones I say it’s ok to skip if you want. The vibe was lively and it was the only pub we had visited so far that was playing music so it was fun. We enjoyed ourselves and actually were able to talk to some locals here but otherwise there wasn’t anything particularly special about it. However, if you’re in the area and across the street why not try it out for yourself? Just a note: it says their kitchen is closed everyday on their website but reviews say their food is traditional British pub food so just make sure you’re not planning on eating here in case there really is no food. 

As you can tell, we chose places with a lot of history! This place is no different. It originally opened in 1868 as a hotel and renamed in 1943 to the Round House to compliment its unique shape. 

5) The White Swan

All I wanted to do was listen to live music while I was in London and up until this point we hadn’t had any luck until…. The White Swan. 

By the time we were leaving the Round House we were on the fence about calling it a night or having one more drink elsewhere. It was about 930p.m. and the crowd at the White Swan seemed like a good time so we decided to have one more drink and thank God we did because this was the funnest pub we stumbled upon. 

I have checked their website and their Instagram (@whiteswancoventgarden) and I cannot find a clear schedule of their live music but the amazing (@henryfaceymusic) played a set from 10 p.m.- midnight when we were there. We had the best time dancing and meeting friends. It was the perfect ending to an amazing day. All of the pubs I mentioned above are family friendly options but I would say this is probably the exception. Although it was a mixed crowd of younger, middle aged, and older adults, the atmosphere was definitely more of a party one. They clear out the tables around 10:45 p.m. to make room for the dance floor. They also take reservations and have a great pub menu. It was once a traditional Irish pub that opened back in the 1800s. It’s also a part of the Ale and Gin Trail which I didn’t know was a thing, but is on the top of my list for my next visit.

Honorable Mention: London Party Pub Crawl

If you are looking for something more structured, make sure to check out my friends at the London Party Pub Crawl particularly the Camden Pub Crawl. This pub crawl was recommended to us by friends who lived in London for a couple of months. We did this our first time in London and had the best time! The tour guides really know how to show you a good time and are also just really friendly. Please enjoy this picture of my best friend doing a “shoey” simply because our tour guide asked one of us to do it. Either way, you’re in safe hands and you’re guaranteed a good time. What’s better? 

A couple of tips that I would remember while drinking in London: 

• Tipping your bartenders is not expected like it is in the states or other areas. They certainly won’t turn down a tip, but there’s no need to tip 15-20% that is normally customary. Just be friendly and if you really like them I usually tip 1 Pound per drink. 
• Everyone smokes… so if you don’t want to be around it I would recommend not sitting outside. 
• At most pubs, you order drinks at the bar and then bring it back to the table. There’s hardly tableside service unless you’re specifically located in the dining room. 
• For some reason, beers are more potent in the UK. Pace yourself! 

Your favorite travel buddy,