Mentioned by A Complete Guide of London | The Shaftesbury Hotels Collection Blog
Best Breweries of London
"No prizes for guessing where Camden Town Brewery makes its beer. Well, actually, if you want to get technical, it has a larger brewery in Enfield these days… But we digress. The Camden town site offers brewery tours, and it also hosts food pop-ups, complete with a sun-drenched terrace just designed for day drinking all the Camden classics: Helles, Pale, Off-Menu, Week Nite and the juicy Show Off lager."
"See how top beers including Camden Hells Lager and Camden Pale Ale are brewed by joining a tour of the Camden Town Brewery in Kentish Town. Either drop in on a Saturday between 1 and 2 p.m. for a 30-minute informal tour or book a tour in advance on Thursday or Saturday for a more in-depth look at brewing techniques and the chance to taste several beers straight from the tank."
"Discover a proud team of brewers at Camden Town Brewery, set under the railway arches in Camden. Tour the brew house to see where the magic happens, before you try all the other brews in the tasting room, including lager, pale ale, stout and limited-edition beers."
"Choose from mouthwatering bites from more than 40 vendors, browse stalls full of artisan produce and soak up the chilled vibes in the indoor and outdoor seating areas at Elephant and Castle's Mercato Metropolitano. If you're keen for more, check out its sister venue, Mercato Mayfair, which sits within an 18th-century St Mark’s Church, now a hub of international yet sustainable dining."
"London’s popular Italian food halls—found in Mayfair and Elephant & Castle—are back with their brilliant street food offerings Wednesday through till Sunday, for takeaway and deliveries only. Meanwhile, MM Grocery will continue to stay open throughout the week. Hand sanitisers will be out in both venues and social-distancing measures will apply."
"Located in Elephant and Castle, Mercato Metropolitano is one of the original food halls in London. Enjoy a craft brew outside on their terrace, tuck into a freshly-made pizza on one of the communal tables in the main hall or sneak into the more secluded den and nibble on cured meat and melted raclette whilst sipping on wine."
"GreenwichOne of the capital’s largest craft breweries, Meantime is also blessed with a supremely stylish taproom – hexagonal floors and mid-century wooden furniture – that begs to be settled into for a tasting session. Because at this award-winning spot, it’s all about the beers: even the burgers come with sauces made from the core house brews (Anytime IPA Hot and Sweet, Yakima Red Ale BBQ, Easytime Lager Marinara). Top tip: take some of the Chocolate Porter home with you – it’s perfect for putting in puddings."
"Located in Greenwich, the Meantime Brewing Company has the mission of demonstrating the full flavour potential that beer has to offer. The commercial brewing house was founded by world-class brewer Alastair Hook, who in 1999 started to invest in it from his flat. The first brew package was made in April 2000, and the first beer brand was called Union, a Vienna-style dark lager."
"The Meantime Brewery Company is one that knows how to keep time. With patiently brewed beers in the heart of the Greenwich Meridian, the Meantime Brewery has its own tasting rooms, serving beer from where the action really happens."
"A huge, horseshoe-shaped centrepiece dominates the revamped double-height taproom, with tables all around and a mezzanine level above. You can sit outdoors too, for industrial-estate vibes – it’s part of the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Team your brews (choose from Shapeshifter, Juicebox and the best-selling Basecamp) with something from resident street-food van Oh My Dog!"
"The brew house offers beers and pale ales as well as ageing sours and dark ales – all in colourful tins aimed at having a lower environmental impact."
"Another Railway Arch win, the Moor Beer Company has a taproom in Bermondsey that buzzes with beer soaked energy. With organically cultivated ingredients that leave out the bad stuff, Moor Beer Company uses live yeast in their brews and sources their malts from UK, Germany and Belgium, the three musketeers of beer cultivation. With a variety of yeast strains, Moor makes internationally renowned and meticulously crafted beers from a variety of styles."
"Founded in 1666, Truman's is one of London's most prolific breweries. After a brief hiatus. the brand is back and it's got grand plans, including this incredible outdoor space in Walthamstow."
"Independently owned Hammerton Brewery run regular events from tastings and tours to brewery-based yoga sessions. Using the finest quality ingredients and modern brewing techniques, they are renowned for their unique sips."
"In a nutshell: All day NYC-inspired spot in Peckham Where is it?. Unit 5, 12-16 Blenheim Grove, London, SE15 4QL Why should you care?. The team that brought us Salon and Levan are opening a second Peckham spot."
"Set in a 1920s car showroom, this grand all-day brasserie exudes a heady glamor, with its gleaming marble floors, red-and-gold Japanese panels, and sleek leather banquettes. Londoners tend to come to take in breakfast and the paper, with a menu that runs from stacked pancakes to an impeccable omelet Arnold Bennett, layered with smoked haddock and creamy hollandaise. The stately surroundings that never feel too stiffly formal; drop by on a whim for just about anything you fancy."
"Pop into The Wolseley for its famous brunch – or enjoy lunch, dinner and a great value afternoon tea – on your anniversary at this lively eatery on Piccadilly. Once a car showroom, the light-filled restaurant is influenced by the historic European "grand cafes", with a relaxed feel that's perfect for a low-key celebration. Book The Wolseley now."
"Afternoon tea is totally a thing in the UK, and London has the most options of any city. Traditional afternoon tea is really less about the tea (although it is served) and more about the food!. Clotted cream and scones, crustless sandwiches, and a myriad of bite-sized sweet pastries and cakes are served in most establishments."
"This Victoria Park cafe run by Hasan Yildiz and Fulya Naim positions itself elegantly between neighborhood standby and journey-worthy, thanks to a considered approach to coffee selection and, admittedly, a prime location next to one of east London’s loveliest parks. Mainstay coffee comes from London veteran Caravan to make milky drinks rich and sweet, while a guest espresso, and a filter or two, could come from any of Europe’s current top roasters: La Cabra of Aarhus, Friedhats of Amsterdam, The Barn (of) Berlin. A range of snacks, natural wines, and quality olive oils round out an offering whose adaptation to the needs of locals during the COVID-19 pandemic was as natural as they come."
"Lambeth Palace is the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England on the banks of the River Thames. The palace has served as the archbishop's home for more than 800 years. While the palace opens to the public via guided tours, it is not open to the public only a daily basis."
"One church which comes up in very few London guide books is St Brides church on Fleet Street. The current St Bride’s is at least the seventh to have stood on the site, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the 1672 incarnation was damaged heavily during a fire in the WWII blitz in the 1940’s but thankfully able to be restored. The second tallest church in London, after St Paul’s, St Brides is an imposing figure on the London skyline, especially against the modern highrise buildings of today."
"There was a church on this site during the time of the Romans.Some believe that St Bridget, an Irish saint, established the first Christian church on the site in the 6th century. During the Great Plague of 1665, a plague pit was dug within the churchyard. Pepys mentions having to bribe the gravedigger in order to find room to bury his brother."
"Another of Sir Christopher Wren’s designs from the ashes of the 1666 Great Fire, St Bride’s is the tallest of Wren’s churches after St Paul’s, standing at 69m tall. Located in Fleet Street, it has a long association with newspapers and journalists. It was largely gutted by fire during the Blitz in 1940."