Unless you’ve been living under a shamrock, you know St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. Aside from the Emerald Isle itself, there are few better places on earth to experience St. Paddy’s than the British capital, so we’ve picked our three favorite London pubs for enjoying a celebratory pint of the black stuff.
The Tipperary
It may be small, but when it comes to authentic St. Paddy’s Day venues, it doesn’t get better than this. As London’s oldest Irish pub (first opened way back in 1605) The Tipperary on Fleet Street was possibly the first pub outside Ireland to serve draught Guinness, and to this day it remains a popular spot to enjoy an ice-cold ale among Irish expats, Londoners and tourists.
From the oldest Irish bar in London to one of its largest, the vast Porterhouse is immensely proud of its Irish roots. But don’t come here expecting Guinness on tap and leprechauns on the wall — this is a far more authentic experience. The Porterhouse brews its own stout in Dublin and ships it over to London to be enjoyed with fine traditional Irish cuisine (try the Irish Beef and Cheddar, dipped in mustard sauce, mushrooms and onions on multigrain toast) and toe-tapping live music.
One of London’s most famous pubs in one of its most chic districts, this 18th-century Notting Hill landmark is a prime spot to spend St. Patrick’s Day. It’s not an Irish pub, but the draught Guinness is poured with love, and for those who crave variety, there are another half a dozen ales on tap, including the patriotic London Pride and the snappy Honey Dew. It also serves tantalizing Thai food — fans of spicy fare should check out the “Kaeng Par” curry — which makes a surprisingly satisfying ale ally.
Photo Courtesy of iStock-Peter Kim
