Bars
The 6 Best Pubs in Victoria
Behind the station forecourt and the coach crowds, Victoria keeps a run of proper pubs, from an etched-glass Victorian survivor to Pimlico's temple of craft beer.
In short: our top picks are The Albert, CASK Pub and Kitchen and The Jugged Hare. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Victoria gets written off as a transport hub, all commuters and rolling suitcases, which does its pubs a disservice. Duck a street back from the station and you find the real thing: The Albert standing alone in its Victorian finery, Cask pouring beer you cannot get anywhere else, the Nags Head running on its own eccentric rules. This is not a nightlife district and it does not pretend to be. It is a place for a considered pint before a train, after work, or on the way to the theatre.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Albert | Victoria | ££ |
| CASK Pub and Kitchen | Pimlico | ££ |
| The Jugged Hare | Barbican | £££ |
| Cask & Glass | Victoria | ££ |
| Buckingham Arms | Westminster | ££ |
| Nags Head | Belgravia | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
The Albert
Why we pick itThe only Victorian pub left standing on Victoria Street, with hand-etched glass, a division bell for MPs and a carvery dining room upstairs.
historic Victorian pub
-
CASK Pub and Kitchen
Why we pick itTen cask handpumps, fifteen keg lines and hundreds of bottles draw beer geeks to this Pimlico backstreet, and the burgers are properly good too.
craft beer pub
-
The Jugged Hare
Why we pick itA former NatWest bank with high ceilings and chandeliers, now a Fuller's ale and pie house serving a menu of house pies.
gastropub
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Cask & Glass
Why we pick itBarely bigger than a front room, this Shepherd Neame corner pours proper Kentish ale on the route between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Cathedral.
traditional corner pub
-
Buckingham Arms
Why we pick itA handsome Young's local off Petty France that has made the Good Beer Guide every year, with a long mirrored bar and dependable pints.
traditional pub
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Nags Head
Why we pick itA tiny Belgravia free house crammed with portraits and penny-arcade machines, where phones are banned and beer flows from an unusually low counter.
eccentric free house
Before you book
Victoria and Pimlico stations put you within a few minutes’ walk of everything here. The Jugged Hare and The Albert’s upstairs dining room are worth booking for weekday lunch when Westminster empties out; the rest are walk-in. Leave the phone in your pocket at the Nags Head, and note that dogs get a warm welcome at Cask and the Buckingham Arms.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
The Albert is our editor's choice: The only Victorian pub left standing on Victoria Street, with hand-etched glass, a division bell for MPs and a carvery dining room upstairs. The Albert, CASK Pub and Kitchen and The Jugged Hare 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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