London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [152]
Previous Chapter | Beginning of Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents
Main Table of Contents
The Scene
Pubs by Neighborhood
Nightlife by Neighborhood
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents
Pubs and Nightlife Overview | Pubs and Nightlife Planner
Updated by Julius Honnor
There isn’t a London nightlife scene—there are lots of them. As long as there are crowds for obscure teenage rock bands, Dickensian-style pubs, comedy cabarets, and “bodysonic” dance nights, someone will create clubs and venues for them in London. The result? London has become a veritable utopia for excitement junkies, culture fiends, and those who—simply put—like to party. Nearly everyone who visits London these days will be mesmerized by the city’s energy, which reveals itself in layers. Whether you prefer rhythm and blues with fine French food, the gritty guitar riffs of East London, a pint and gourmet pizza at a local gastropub, or swanky cocktails and sushi at London’s sexiest lair, the U.K. capital is sure to feed your fancy.
PUBS AND NIGHTLIFE OVERVIEW
PUBS
The English take their drink very seriously, and pubs are where Londoners go to hang out, to see and be seen, act out the drama of life, and, for some, occasionally drink themselves into varying degrees of oblivion. Even today, competing with a thoroughly modern entertainment industry, the traditional pub is still a vital part of British life. It also should be a part of the visitor’s experience, as there are few better places to meet Londoners in their local habitat. There are thousands of pubs in London—ever fewer of which still have original Victorian etched glass, Edwardian panels, and Art Nouveau carvings. The list below offers a few pubs selected for central location, historical interest, a pleasant garden, music, or good food, but you might just as happily adopt your own temporary “local.”
Pubs in the capital are changing: 90-year-old licensing laws have finally been modernized, gastropub fever has swept through London, and smoking in all pubs has been illegal since 2007. At many places, char-grills are installed in the kitchen out back and nouveau pub grub, such as Moroccan chicken, is on the menu. Regardless of what you eat, however, you’ll definitely want to order a pint.
Once you decide where to drink, the big decision is what to drink. The beer of choice among Britons is “bitter,” a lightly fermented beer with an amber color that gets its bitterness from hops. It is usually served at cellar temperature (that is, cooler than room temperature but not actually chilled). Real ale, served from wooded kegs and made without chilling, filtering, or pasteurization, is flatter than regular bitters. Stouts, like Guinness, are a meal in themselves and something of an acquired taste—they have a burnt flavor and look like thickened flat Coke with a frothy top. Lagers, most familiar to American drinkers, are light-color and carbonated. TIP Remember that what Americans call beer, the British call lager, often beers from continental Europe. At the same time, designer and American beers have been making their way to bars across the country. Note that many English pubs are affiliated with particular breweries and are beholden to sell only beers produced by that brewery. Some of the larger chains, identified on the pub’s sign, include Bass, Chef and Brewer, Courage, Samuel Smith, and Whitbread. In contrast, independently owned pubs, called “free houses,” can serve whatever they wish and tend to offer a more extensive selection. Other potations now available also include ciders, ranging from sweet to dry, which are made from apples (Irish cider, served over ice, is now ubiquitously fashionable) and shandies, a mix of lager and lemonade. Friendly pubs will usually be happy to give you a taste of the brew of your choice before you order. After discussing your choice of drink with the barman, turn to your neighbor, raise the glass,