Pubs and restaurants London book lovers must go to

We are starting this list with an historical example; The Dog and Duck in Soho was originally built way back in 1734. Its current interior dates back to 1897, granting the venue an authentic traditional English pub aesthetic. The Dog and Duck was frequented by none other than George Orwell, making this a must-visit for literature enthusiasts! Especially dystopia and satire lovers.
Need more convincing? No problem. The food menu includes plenty of pub cuisine classics like burgers, fish and chips and fried chicken. In addition, the menu includes its own section for burgers, which are packed with divine filling combinations like crushed hash browns, bacon and sriracha sauce. Don’t worry if you’re a vegan though, the Dog and Duck serves a “Beyond Meat Burger” for you to chow down on too.

The George has existed since the 16th century and has hosted William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. Impressive right? The accolades don’t stop there; Dickens even mentioned the pub in his novel Little Dorrit.
The menu features a lot of traditional English pub food. You can tuck into some great sandwiches, toasties, fish and chips or steak and ale pies. There are also many sharing platter and side dish options if you want to include some of your literary enthusiast friends in your outing. Side dishes and sharing options include chicken wings and nachos.

You will need to book a meal at The Grubstreet Author, but it has unrivalled historical connections to London’s writers. The road the venue is set up on used to be called Grub Street, and the area was inhabited by a bohemian counterculture of impoverished writers and poets and several high-profile print houses. The colloquial term Grubstreet author was even introduced, which refers to the people living in the area, such was the significance of Grub Street to literary history. The Grubstreet Author has three main rooms – The Pasteur Room, The Sample Room and The Cutting Room – which all serve different functions. The Grubstreet Author’s chef team is “dedicated to providing some of the most thought-provoking and delicious food available in the event marketplace.” And the menu will be customised based on the event it’s being made for, but the sample menus set a strong example with main dishes like rib of beef, watercress, grelot onions, truffle buttermilk and asparagus and dessert dishes like chocolate slice, banana mousse, praline ice cream and candied hazelnut.

Crocker’s Folly was first built in 1898 and has since been revamped by its owners with marble Roman inspired columns and historic yet modernised architecture. As far as we’re aware, this venue doesn’t have a claim to a particular author or book, but its unique and historic aesthetic will make you feel like you are in one of Jane Eyre’s novels. So if you are an aspiring writer, this could serve as great inspiration. The food menu is incredibly expansive, including everything from pastry to seafood. The wine list, meanwhile, is the same and contains plenty of variety, while the cocktail menu has a solid 14 items.

The White Swan was built back in 1787 and is located in a quiet spot near Richmond’s town centre. Its positioning makes it easily accessible, cosy, and relatively secluded, making it a great spot to relax and get into a book with a pint or maybe even write a book of your own! The White Swan has separate evening, lunch and Sunday menus alongside a wine list, which includes entries from all parts of the world, so you should have little trouble finding your favourite to enjoy alongside a rib-eye steak or mushroom risotto.