Come for a Pint, Stay for Dinner at These New London Pubs

Bringing some spice to the capital’s traditional pub scene, an exciting crop of new and revamped boozers is offering tightly focused menus that take diners to culinary corners far and wide. You’ll find everything from omakase tasting menus in Hackney and Nepali street food in Leytonstone to Roman pizza in Brooke Green and elevated Indian in Archway — all served in a comforting pub setting with plenty of beer on tap. 

The Coach & Horses, Leyton

At first glance, not much has changed at this grand-dame public house since it opened in 1863 on Leyton’s busy High Road in east London. A sensitive restoration has kept its moody, wood-panelled rooms illuminated by chandeliers hung from tall ceilings, and locals still hunch over the pub’s horseshoe bar nursing pints of locally brewed beer. But since the arrival of Borough Yard’s Nepali street-food outfit Eat Momo, in March 2026, the pub’s menu has been spiced up with the likes of handmade dumplings, chow mein stir-fries and puri crackers with chickpea curry, while Eat Momo founders Trishna and Dipa host guest-chef series for an extra element of surprise. Dumplings from £8, pints from £5.90.

The Macbeth, Hoxton

Relaunched in 2025 by chef Jamie Allan — known for his work at Four Legs and The Plimsoll pub — this former indie music venue offers a taste of Iberia in lively Hoxton. Behind the east London pub’s dark exterior, you’ll find a roseate ceiling and the ornate Victorian mural that gave The Macbeth its name, plus dishes that take inspiration from Portugal’s neighbourhood tasca inns. Try mains such as tender lamb shoulder or piri-piri roast chicken and a range of small dishes from octopus to oysters. Staff are attentive and will happily pull up a stool to help you choose between crispy fried tripe (surprisingly good) or spicy cachorrinho — a toasted pork and cheese sandwich from Porto. The new oak bar — replacing a stage that once hosted Florence + The Machine — serves a wide selection of wines and beers, including a cask ale and the signature Macbeth lager. Mains from £28, pints from £4.95.

The Horses, Clerkenwell

Public House Group, the team behind feted Notting Hill pub The Pelican and Marylebone’s The Hart, has exported its polished take on the gastropub to east London with The Horses. A short walk from Clerkenwell Lane, the corner-site newcomer has quickly found its crowd, with drinkers spilling outside on warm evenings. Inside, a spacious bar and stools offer a casual perch, but the real draw is upstairs: a handsome dining room featuring white tablecloths, cafe curtains, limewashed taupe walls and warm wood furnishings. While pub staples are all present and correct, seafood leads the menu here. Oysters are listed by provenance; smoked fish appetisers make a strong start; and the five fish mains can be paired with your choice of sauce — from fragrant garlic butter to an indulgent langoustine gravy. Mains from £23, pints from £6.50.

The Latimer, Ladbroke Grove

You get two for one at this newly revamped pub, which reopened in early 2026. Split into an informal saloon bar at the front and a candle-lit white table cloth dining room in the back, the restored Victorian local is a pub-restaurant double act that’s now part of the acclaimed Spiteri family portfolio, joining the likes of St John and Rochelle Canteen. Brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri, who are spearheading the bar and kitchen, respectively, have managed to combine the best of both elevated dining and laid-back drinking. Expect starters like vinegary boquerones (tapas-style anchovies) and fluffy milk buns with salted butter, while mains take in hearty onglet steak and cavolo nero tagliatelle. And if you’re just popping in for a pint, you’ll find half-a-dozen draft pours along with house-made cocktails, including the bergamot-infused Latimer Martini. Mains from £27, pints from £6.50.

The Bird in Hand, Brook Green

This stylish, newly revamped east London venue, housed in a 100-year-old building, straddles the line between pub and a bar. It’s the second project from Max de Nahlik — chef-owner at The Holland — and focuses on Mediterranean-inspired small plates, mains and pizzas made with local British produce. To start, the sauteed chorizo with fennel seeds is a must, as are the Parma ham and crab croquettes with aioli. Save any surplus aioli for your pizza crusts; choices range from spicy ’nduja and smoked scamorza to creations from the pub’s guest-chef series, such as The Wellington — a heady combination of Comté, garlic snails and Bayonne ham. Room for dessert? The sticky toffee pudding with ice cream is an unbeatable classic. If the myriad beers and cocktails don’t temp, a bottle of sweet, full-bodied Bella Modella from Puglia red is perfect as an accompaniment to practically anything you order. Pizzas from £14, pints from £5.90.

Fitzgerald’s, Broadgate

Tucked behind The Horsemen pub in Broadgate in the capital’s financial district, Fitzgerald’s blends a touch of Irish American character and a clubhouse atmosphere, complete with framed jockey shirts, soft lighting and dark green leather booths. The menu leans heavily into comforting classics, from crisp-as-you-like Kentucky fried chicken to Irish beef tartar and steak with punchy Irish stout sauce. The stars of the show are the two pies. The lamb pie — its braised shank filling held in a perfectly crisp hot water crust pastry — is a showstopper both for presentation and flavour, while the pecan nutty Derby dessert tart features generous helpings of dark chocolate and custard. The pub’s laid-back atmosphere and attentive service are equally well suited to either an intimate date night and a special occasion with friends. Mains from £25.50, pints from £7.80.

The Victory, East Dulwich

Having reopened after a full refurbishment, The Victory’s quietly ambitious kitchen is establishing its own identity within the walls of former south London stalwart restaurant, Franklins. Taking its name from the original pub at this site, The Victory delivers a menu shaped by modern French bistro cooking, with dishes such as sweet Cornish prawns in sherry, roast Yorkshire venison with pearl barley and beetroot and roast poulet jaune designed to share. The setting strikes a similarly pleasing balance: polished wooden floors, antique mirrors and a zinc-topped bar lend it the feel of a classic pub, while the cooking is anything but ordinary. Add a well-curated French-leaning wine list and a dedicated martini cocktail menu, and this whole enterprise is a convivial new reason to linger south of the river. Mains from £30, pints from £6.50.

The Gun, Hackney

Firing out the enticing scent of grilled beef along Hackney’s Well Street, this beloved east London boozer is reborn after a hiatus in 2025. The new owners are backed by Kotaro Ogawa, chef-founder of Mayfair's Aragawa steakhouse — famed for introducing the UK to pricey premium Japanese beef — yet The Gun is loaded with affordable dishes. The small, Japanese-staffed kitchen produces an impressive volley of panko oysters and prawns (come early; they sell out), along with delicate vegetable gyoza, skillets sizzling with chunky miso aubergine steaks and Wagyu done every which way from crisp tacos with yuzu chimichurri to exemplary smash burgers and steak. The Victorian venue’s basic spit-and-sawdust interiors are slated for gentle upgrading, including a karaoke room. Book ahead for monthly omakase tasting menus, (£73). Mains from £13, pints from £5.

The Albatross, City of London

Just minutes from Bank station, The Albatross brings a splash of seaside spirit to the financial district, with seafood at the heart of its menu. Irish oysters, Devon crab, Atlantic prawns and Norwegian king crab are joined by pub favourites including chicken schnitzel and sticky toffee pudding, making this a place for both serious feasting and a casual pint. For a standout meal, you won’t go wrong with ordering the melt-in-your-mouth burnt butter scallop followed by the roasted native lobster. It can all be washed down with your choice from the more than 15 beers on tap and roster of cocktails The two-floor space, with its soaring ceilings and arched windows, has plenty of room for lively after-work gathering. Mains from £18.50, pints from £6.

The Great Indian, Archway

With a green deco-tiled bar and jungle mural wallpaper, this Archway-Finsbury Park neighbourhood venue is a tropical treat. The gastro pub offshoot of Hackney’s popular takeout joint, The Great Indian takes in chefs from across the subcontinent, resulting in diverse dishes including an exemplary smoky red degh dal makhani and a banana-leaf-cooked Keralan-style seabass masala. Playful fusion is the focus of an expanding menu of small plates, including lamb ‘ghee roast’ roti tacos; three-layered chutney with cloud-light smoked poppadums. Cocktails are classics, riffed with puncy kafir lime or homemade tamarind chilli reduction, and rejoice in names like Maharani Secret and Jaipur Royale, while keenly spiced Sunday roasts are crowd pleasers. Mains from £9.50, pints from £6.50.