Mentioned by Visit London
20 best London breweries and distilleries
"Though the bar only opens Thursday to Saturday The Camden Town Brewery has already established a strong standing with London beer connoisseurs, boasting some of the most advanced brewing equipment of any UK micro-brewing company. The impressive range is guaranteed to satisfy any pallet, from their hoppy pale ale to the deeper and stronger stouts. The Camden Town Brewery also offers tours and Beer tasting for the true beer enthusiasts."
"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."
"Inspired by Brooklyn brews, Beavertown Brewery owner Logan Plant (the son of Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant) first started brewing using a 50 liter rice pan at home before opening a small brew house in Duke's Brew and Que restaurant in 2011. The brewery now operates from an industrial estate in Tottenham and sells cans and bottles emblazoned with arguably the coolest designs in town."
"A common staple of many London pubs, the Beavertown Brewery is available on tap all across the city. If you’re wanting to see where it all began, then the Tottenham based warehouse is the place to go. With striking labels and a multitude of punchy beers and IPA’s under its belt, Beavertown Brewery’s warehouse and taproom is a must visit for its striking designs alone."
"Unit 17, Lockwood Industrial Park, Mill Mead Rd, London N17 9QP, UK. Beavertown and craft beer are pretty much synonymous – so much so that Beavertown is practically a household name. And with beers that are as distinctive as their branding, it’s no surprise they’re often the beer aficionado’s go-to."
"From the line of massive steel tanks behind Howling Hops’ Hackney Wick bar, beers (both the brewery’s core and seasonal) are served unpasteurised straight from tank to tankard without touching a keg, can, or bottle on the way. Clearly, visitors don’t hold back — in the late evenings, the taproom erupts into a disco of sorts, with limb-throwing patrons all too willing to get involved. Until nightclubs start serving their own lemon goses and US-hopped pale ales, this is the next best thing."
"Howling Hops opened Hackney’s first brewpub, The Cock Tavern on Mare Street, back in 2011. And that’s a claim to fame if we ever heard one (the pub also went on to win an award for its pickled eggs). Their motto is ‘brew interesting beer’, and this is exactly what they do, with unfiltered, unpasteurised, vegan brews."
"Quench your thirst with bold beers from Hackney Wick's Howling Hops brewery, where the tanks are connected directly to the taps. Take your pick from the Tropical Deluxe Pale Ale or the strong Platform Contest, alongside more tank-tastic sour beers. And if a pint is not enough, order a flagon."
"Unlike younger cities, planned from the get-go, grand old London has always felt like an agglomeration of the smaller (often medieval) communities it grew out of. And in many parts of the city, you can still live something akin to village life. Islington is full of those pockets—Highbury, Barnsbury, Tufnell Park—where tree-lined streets and 19th-century townhouses are served by some of the best neighborhood cafés and restaurants in the world."
"Founded in California in 2011, with the aim of brining gourmet eggs to the breakfast table, Eggslut opened its first UK branch on Notting Hill’s Portobello Road in August 2019. The décor is stark (think grey walls, a metal counter and high wooden stools) with pops of yolk yellow in the neon signs. Choose from six options, all of which come with Bread Ahead brioche buns and Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs."
"When it comes to sightseeing, South Bank and Bankside are excellent for access to big attractions – London Eye, Tate Modern, the Shard – and the City of London also has its share of popular sights, but both have few places to stay. South Kensington is great for museums and shopping. Hotels tend to be pricey."
"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."
"One of North London's best taprooms has got to be ORA Brewing. Located in Tottenham Hale, next to the wetlands, this hoppy hero is winning points for style and substance, with experimental brews and signature sips such as limoncello IPA and tiramisu stouts."
"If you love your craft brews, check out Beer Hawk's craft beer bar and bottle shop in Charterhouse. Boasting an incredible 150 world-class bottles in the fridge, 12 lines on draught and 2 cask ales, as well as a pour your own beer wall, these guys know their brews."
"Rich Mix allows creativity in all its magnificent forms – live music, theatre, poetry, film, art, design and drawing, so it’s a little distinct from the other places on the list, but the charity behind the cross-media arts centre, The Rich Mix Cultural Foundation, has a pretty inspiring goal. And that’s to offer the public space to discover more about the creative offerings of people from various migrant populations. Since taking over the former clothing factory on Bethnal Green Road, Rich Mix has put on many free exhibitions, screenings and concerts."
"This fantastic creative space in the East End, on the site of what used to be in a leather factory, has regular exhibitions featuring emerging and established artists. 39-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA Free entryrichmix.org.uk"
"The V&A's Theatre Collections hold the UK's national collection of material about live performance in the UK since Shakespeare's day, covering drama, dance, musical theatre, circus, music hall, rock and pop, and other forms of live entertainment. Theatre and Performance galleries dedicated to the performing arts, display works of art, costumes, ephemera, video recordings, puppets, posters and photographs."
"The blood and viscera has long since been scoured away, making this museum a fascinating place to visit. Pioneering medical techniques were trialled here back in the day, and today, it holds the crown as the oldest surviving surgical theatre in Europe. Tickets for adults are £7.50."
"Philippe Conticini is a legend of pâtisserie and both of his eponymous Londoncafés are home to some of the finest gourmet pastries on this side of the channel. Paying a visit to Phillipe Conticini is like paying your respects to the butter gods. His Paris Brest is a thing of delicate, complicated beauty; his vanilla flan a reminder of what heights custard can achieve; and his pain au chocolat, a pastry so layered and flaky that it makes all pretenders seem a sham."
"This dog-friendly east London café is certainly one to add to your London vegan food roster. Not only is there a full vegan English breakfast, complete with crispy hash browns, roasted plum tomatoes and grilled sourdough dripping in creamy vegan butter, they also serve seriously generous portions, leaving even the hungriest of customers full. There’s far more than fry ups on offer, though: the spicy coconut ramen is a delightful winter warmer, served with silky tofu, shiitake mushrooms and thick udon noodles deliciously slurped up when drizzled in hot chilli oil."
"This Chinatown spot isn’t the only place doing soft serve in London. But it is one of the only places I’ve found that does excellent soft serve with brown tapioca, and as someone who is very much addicted to boba, it’s a yes from me. There are four flavours of soft serve, vanilla, black sesame, rose lychee, and matcha - which you can choose to have in a taiyaki - a Japanese fish-shaped waffle cone - or in a cup."
"In the buzz of Chinatown’s Newport Court, it can be hard to settle on just one ice cream spot. But sadly, one ice cream is the socially acceptable amount, so if you do pick one, pick this one. This little Japanese dessert shop specialises in taiyako - a fish-shaped cake filled with things like peanut butter and Nutella - which they even fill with things like their rose lychee soft serve."