Bars
The 6 Best Pubs in Hackney
From a Michelin-crowned dining room to a riverside terrace and a brewpub spilling into Victoria Park, Hackney drinks well in every direction.
In short: our top picks are The Marksman, Chesham Arms and Pub on the Park. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Hackney does pubs better than almost anywhere in London, and the range is the point. You can spend a Sunday in the Marksman’s upstairs dining room, then a Tuesday nursing a cask ale in a scuffed 1930s boozer down the road. The best of them are still proper locals, dog-friendly and unhurried, rather than concept bars in fancy dress. This is a list you drink your way through, not just visit once.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Marksman | Bethnal Green | £££ |
| Chesham Arms | Homerton | ££ |
| Pub on the Park | London Fields | ££ |
| People's Park Tavern | Victoria Park | ££ |
| The Princess of Wales | Clapton | ££ |
| The Cock Tavern | Hackney Central | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
The Marksman
Why we pick itThe upstairs dining room does properly ambitious plates, and the beef and barley bun downstairs became one of London's most copied bar snacks.
gastropub
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Chesham Arms
Why we pick itLocals fought off developers to save this Victorian corner local; two open fires warm the winter and a large back garden fills up all summer.
traditional local
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Pub on the Park
Why we pick itThree decks look straight out over London Fields, the kitchen turns out proper pub food, and big screens pull in the football crowd.
beer garden pub
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People's Park Tavern
Why we pick itThis brewpub pours its own People's Pints and opens onto one of London's biggest beer gardens, running straight into the edge of Victoria Park.
brewpub garden
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The Princess of Wales
Why we pick itA Young's pub with a riverside terrace right on the River Lea, well placed for a pint after a walk along the marshes.
riverside pub
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The Cock Tavern
Why we pick itA single-room 1930s ale house with seven or eight ever-changing cask beers, several from Howling Hops of Hackney Wick, plus a proper row of real ciders.
traditional ale house
Before you book
Most of these sit close to Hackney Central or London Fields Overground, so you can walk a few between them in an afternoon. The Chesham Arms and Cock Tavern do not take bookings and fill up fast, so arrive early or go midweek; book the Marksman well ahead, especially for its Sunday roast. The gardens at the Chesham, People’s Park Tavern and Pub on the Park are dog-friendly and built for warm afternoons.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
The Marksman is our editor's choice: The upstairs dining room does properly ambitious plates, and the beef and barley bun downstairs became one of London's most copied bar snacks. The Marksman, Chesham Arms and Pub on the Park 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/.
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