Mentioned by Visit London
20 best London breweries and distilleries
"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."
"The founder of Camden Town Brewery, Jasper Cuppaidge, started making beer for fun in the basement of his pub. As a pub owner, he decided to enter into the beer market producing a great and recognisable lager. Beers at Camden Town are made all year long, and sometimes you can find some limited editions."
"Taking inspiration from Bavaria's beer halls, this is a taproom with 24 taps on the bar. They've teamed up with Theo Randall to prepare the kind of food that matches best with the beer."
"To call Mercato Metropolitano a food hall is really to do it a disservice – this is one of London’s best foodie spots, with an emphasis on urban farming and community. Featuring two huge halls of street food stalls, you can pretty much eat your way around the world just by meandering between Mercato Metropolitano’s food offerings.In particular, don’t miss the authentic Spanish tapas of Abel or the to-die-for ice cream at Badiani. Opening Hours: Monday to Friday between 8am and 11pm (12am on Fridays), 11am to 12am on Saturdays and 11am to 10pm on Sundays."
"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."
"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."
"One of the pioneers of London's craft beer scene, the Meantime Brewing Company was set up in 2000 and the brewery's core beers, including London Lager and London Pale Ale are stocked in hundreds of pubs across the capital. The brewery tours at their sizable site in Greenwich start or finish with a tutored tasting and there's a shop and a bar on site."
"According to founder Alistair Hook, “Great beer is at the heart of everything we do.” and we believe them. Having been born in 1999, well before craft beer became trendy, they’ve spent 20 years perfecting their beers and that has most definitely been time well spent. Have we saved the best brewery until last?"
"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."
"Fourpure's stylish industrial taproom is nestled within their brewery site in Bermondsey, offering 40 taps of fresh craft beer from the taps. If you fancy taking home a souvenir, they sell takeaway cans and plenty of merch for craft beer fans."
"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."
"Found in the heart of East London's Blackhorse Beer Mile, Signature Brew Blackhorse Road is a sleek and modern brewery, fronting 12 lines of carefully crafted beer. Expect food courtesy of burger and wing gurus We Serve Humans as well as live music on the weekends. Alternatively, check out its Haggerston taproom, housed inside a former archway."
"A post shared by Hackney Church Brew Co. (@hackneychurchbrewco). It’s worth heading down to Hackney Church Brew Co. just for the beauty of the industrial building. But while you’re there, sample the range of beers made by its expert brewing team and sit in the beautiful courtyard to enjoy your tipple alfresco."
"London brewer Meantime are letting you sample their fine wares - as well as showing you the process behind things - at their Greenwich outpost. Perfect for a day out drinking, the taproom has 9 beers on rotation, while tours take place over the weekend."
"Unless you've had your head buried in the sand for the last couple of years, you will have noticed Goose Island's takeover of the London craft beer scene. Head to their first UK bar in Shoreditch which delivers pints fresh from the brewing room and deep-pan Chicago-style pizza to soak it all up."
"This excellent Blackheath bar is pouring out some of the freshest pints in South London. Head over the heath and sample some of the tank-fresh beer, as well as some delicious plates of pizza, pasta and vegan eats from their food menu."
"This genuinely friendly family-run Italian is popular with locals and visitors alike on account of its authentic food and charming service. Bacco may have all the visual trappings of a contemporary Italian restaurant, but at its heart is an old-fashioned trattoria so diners can expect classic pastas and simple antipasti as well as more expensive dishes come evening. It’s also handy for theatre-goers."
"05/06/2021: We visited one evening as a pre-booked table for 4. The menu was nice but disappointingly two out of the four staters we order had been taken off the menu as they had run out of ingredients. The food was good, but not exceptional and the service pleasant but hit and miss, slow and some of the drinks we ordered etc did not turn up until we chased them."
"The pandemic has postponed the ‘launch proper’ of new West Dulwich modern Indian restaurant Heritage, but the team behind it are raring to go. So much so that, in this interim period, they’ve launched a takeaway service featuring a range of set dining sharing boxes (£38 – £42 for two). The restaurant comes from executive chef Dayashankar Sharma, who honed his skills in the kitchens of Michelin-starred restaurants, Tamarind and Zaika among them."
"Coming from an ex-Tamarind chef, Heritage aims to cook "nostalgic family-taught dishes and unusual foods from lesser-known Indian regions and communities"."
"St Ethelburga, entirely destroyed by an IRA bomb in 1993, is the smallest of the City churches at 56 feet long and 30 feet wide. The parish covered just three acres, an acre more petite than the area covered by the Bank of England. The church had survived since 1390, having been outside the area destroyed by the Great Fire."
"A peaceful oasis amongst the buzz and bustle of the city, the Culpeper Community Garden is managed by and for the local people. It’s open seven days a week and is just a short walk from Angel station. COVID-19 UPDATE: Culpeper Community Garden is currently closed to the public."
"It is situated conveniently out of the hustle and bustle of the City centre, alongside Chelsea Bridge and opposite Battersea Park and within easy access to Sloane Square and Victoria underground stations, as well as being literally on the major Oxford Circus and Piccadilly public bus routes, the fashionable Sloane Street, Kings Road and Harrods shopping nodes. Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel and Spa boasts of the best spacious rooms London has to offer, magnificent beds, separate bath and shower, flat screen TV’s and tea/coffee facilities in all the rooms. WiFi available in all rooms."
"Park Plaza County Hall enjoys a superb location on the South Bank, rubbing shoulders with many of London’s most famous attractions such as the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye. Named ‘Best Family Friendly Hotel’ at the HRS Hotel Excellence Awards 2011, the hotel specialises in treating children like VIPs through its Family Fun in the City package. Spacious family rooms include substantial closets and plenty of space to relax and unwind, while Studio Rooms and Penthouse Apartments afford an enhanced feeling of indulgence with defined sleeping and living areas."
"Awarded England’s Best Hotel Spa 2019 at the World Spa Awards™, The Lanesborough’s attentive staff know exactly how to best pamper guests. Located close to Buckingham Palace, the setting is perfect for a regal style spa break, particularly for those wanting to sample something new… The subterranean club is but two and a half years old, having re-opened in 2017 with stunning interior refurbishments designed by studio 1508. Fireplaces, silk wallpaper, wood panelling, bronze trims, deep blue satin and leather upholstery all create an ambience of refined opulence."
"The Lanesborough Hotel’s swanky spa in Knightsbridge offers fantastic facilities (and some of the most ‘grammable changing rooms we’ve seen), but it’s open to members only (aside from hotel guests). Membership costs from £3,500/year or £300/month, plus a joining fee from £1,000. Inside, there’s a vast gym with every machine you can think of; a cold mist, mint-infused “shower,” to cool you down post-workout; thermal suites and hydrotherapy pools to unwind in; as well as a dedicated parlour offering top notch manis."
"The award-winning spa at The Lanesborough is undoubtedly one of the most lavish in the city. A subterranean oasis of calm, it houses a vast gym, hydro pool, saunas and steam rooms, as well as its own food and drink offering centered around nutritionally rich dishes that promote inner health. There are three spa day options at The Lanesborough Club & Spa, ranging from a three-hour session to a full day of treatments."