Bars
The 6 Best Pubs in Camden
Camden drinking done properly, from tiled Victorian boozers to a wood-fired gastropub with a Michelin nod.
In short: our top picks are The Spread Eagle, The Parakeet and The Hawley Arms. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Camden gets a bad rap for cider-soaked chaos around the market, but the drinking here is far better than the crowds suggest. The good pubs sit a street or two off the High Street: family-run music taverns, a Young’s corner house that takes its pies seriously, and gardens you would not believe exist this close to the canal. We have skipped the tourist traps and the places trading purely on a famous name. These six are worth crossing town for.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Spread Eagle | Camden Town | ££ |
| The Parakeet | Kentish Town | £££ |
| The Hawley Arms | Camden Town | ££ |
| The Dublin Castle | Camden Town | ££ |
| The Elephant's Head | Camden Town | ££ |
| The Colonel Fawcett | Camden Town | ££ |
-
Editor’s choice
The Spread Eagle
Why we pick itA Grade II listed Young's pub going since 1858, all polished wood and cask ale, famous for proper suet-crust pies and a serious Sunday roast.
traditional Young's pub
-
The Parakeet
Why we pick itEverything comes off the wood fire, from charred cuts to the all-day Sunday roast, and it holds a Michelin nod and a Top 50 Gastropubs spot.
gastropub
-
The Hawley Arms
Why we pick itAmy Winehouse's old haunt, with leather booths, a jukebox, log fires and a roof terrace looking out over the Camden rooftops and canal.
canalside music pub
-
The Dublin Castle
Why we pick itMadness cut their teeth in this narrow back room, and the tavern still runs live bands most nights with open mic Mondays and a proper jukebox.
historic music tavern
-
The Elephant's Head
Why we pick itA tiled Victorian corner boozer on the High Street with a long carved bar, grassroots guitar bands most nights and a late licence past midnight.
Victorian corner boozer
-
The Colonel Fawcett
Why we pick itAn independent free house with two heated gardens, rare for Camden, plus 60-odd gins, craft beer, weekend DJs and a properly good British Sunday lunch.
independent free house
Before you book
Camden Town on the Northern line puts you within a few minutes of every pub here bar the Parakeet, which sits closer to Kentish Town. Book ahead for Sunday roasts at the Parakeet, the Spread Eagle and the Colonel Fawcett, as they sell out fast. The Colonel Fawcett’s covered, heated back garden is the dog-friendly, weatherproof pick if the weather turns.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
The Spread Eagle is our editor's choice: A Grade II listed Young's pub going since 1858, all polished wood and cask ale, famous for proper suet-crust pies and a serious Sunday roast. The Spread Eagle, The Parakeet and The Hawley Arms lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
Related guides
Dining The Best Pubs in London
Open fires, good cellars and proper food: the London pubs worth crossing town for.
5 places Read guide →
Bars The Best Beer Gardens in London
Sun traps, riverside terraces and leafy hideaways: the best beer gardens in London for a sunny day.
5 places Read guide →
Bars pub crawl london
A walkable Soho run of five characterful pubs, from a grand Victorian gin palace to the half-pints-only bohemian bolthole.
5 places Read guide →From the Journal
Drinking
An Excuse for Champagne
Nobody really needs a reason for champagne. That is the secret of it. A glass of something cold and serious turns a Tuesday into an occasion, and the only thing standing between you and that small ceremony is the deciding to do it. London understands this better than most cities. We will toast a promotion, […]
16 Jun 2026Read →
Drinking
London in Summer: The Terrace Months
London does not do summer by halves, but it does do it briefly. For a few weeks the city forgets itself: the light stretches past nine, the pavements warm up, and everyone you know suddenly has plans that involve being outside. This is the season the rest of the year is quietly jealous of. It […]
11 Jun 2026Read →
Drinking
Behind the Unmarked Door: London’s Hidden Bars
There is a particular thrill in a bar you have to earn. Not the velvet rope and the clipboard, which only test your patience, but the door that gives nothing away. A buzzer beside a barber’s chair. A bookshelf that turns out to be a hinge. A telephone box at the back of a hot […]
29 May 2026Read →Readers also viewed
Bars The Best Private Members Clubs in London
Six of London's notable private members clubs, from Annabel's to 5 Hertford Street, with honest notes on what each is for and how membership actually works.
6 places Read guide →
Bars The Best Bars in Canary Wharf
Skyline rooftops, a floating steakhouse bar, a velvet-lined speakeasy and a Nelson-era riverside pub: the Wharf after the trading floors empty.
6 places Read guide →
Bars The Best Jazz Clubs in London
Six London rooms where the music is live, the lights are low and the night runs late.
6 places Read guide →
Bars The Best Pubs in Greenwich
From a Dickens-haunted riverside tavern to a robata-grill gastropub, Greenwich pours the finest pints in south-east London.
6 places Read guide →