The best craft beer spots in London

Prairie Fire, which opened in 2013, first and foremost serves authentic Kansas City BBQ dishes like the smoked buttermilk fried chicken and mac and cheese, alongside vegan options and cocktail and wine lists. In addition, the menu has a wide range of craft beers on draught, including Siren Craft Brew Broken Dream and Siren Craft Brew Dasher and Dancer. We can’t think of many better pairings than beer and BBQ, and if you go to Praire Fire at the Wood Lane Arches, you’ll get the best quality of both.

Smokehouse opened in Islington back in 2013, and it has an impressive resume on all fronts. It works with the best farms in the UK and butchers its meat on-site, as well as claiming to have one of the best craft beer lists in London (20 tap, 40 bottled). The beer list here has as much variety as it does length with everything from ales to Belgian beers to bottled sours. Some examples from the menu include Orval Trapist ale, Rodenbach Grand Cru, Kapow and Stanford Orchards Devon Dry. Much like Prairie Fire, by coming to Smokehouse you are getting the power couple of barbecue and beer. BBQ dishes available include Gloucester Old Spot pork loin, burnt hispi, black pudding and smoked apple sauce, or minute steak and chips.

The Arbitrager is open Tuesday to Friday from five till 10pm, and has a rotating selection of beers that are all London-brewed. There’s also a wide selection of cocktails and gins too, so you’ll never be spoiled for choice here. The venue is also gorgeous, with cushioned chairs and smart wood side tables complimented by a stylish bar. 

Crown and Anchor is a local pub in Brixton that opened in 2011, and it was the first pub in Brixton to bring a proper beer selection to the postcode. These guys order their beers on a weekly basis and make every effort to ensure they are informed on what is popular. Some of the breweries they have featured that you might recognise are Wiper and True, Gipsy Hill Brewing Company, The Wild Beer Co and The White Hag Irish Brewing Company. 

If you fancied getting a bite to eat with your refreshing craft beer, then you won’t be disappointed either. The menu sounds very sophisticated as it has dishes like miso roasted broccoli and mushroom croquettas alongside some more familiar options like fish and chips, beef and ale pie, and plenty of burger options.

We love this quirky and very cool, railway arch London Bridge venue. Inspired by London’s Urban Beekeepers, Hive Taproom is an independent, sustainable venue in the perfect spot to enjoy an in-house natural brew. A great venue for a post food market pint or after work decompress whilst supporting local, sustainable business.  Here you can find Hiver award winning craft beer, created using only British ingredients and suppliers, as well as Beer Tasting & Beekeeping experiences. With plenty of standing and seated room, this is the perfect venue to gather the mates for an interesting pint created by passionate brewers for beer enthusiasts. 

A cool central London venue that serves craft beer and thin crust pies in a relaxed setting with outside patio for warmer summer months, making it the perfect spot for a post work pint. If pies aren’t your thing, no problem, perhaps grab yourself a burger, popcorn, fish tacos or pizza instead? Here you will find hearty, filling food and a great range of craft beers. Find craft ales and lager from local distilleries including Gipsy Hill Brewery and Camden Town Brewery. 

A cracking pub found in the ever popular Highbury. Having stood the test of time – established 1770 – here you can find a great range of craft beer, pub food and Sunday roasts. Win. With a friendly team, live sport and relaxed atmosphere, this is a great mid afternoon weekend spot. The Highbury Barn offers an interesting and popular variety of craft beer on tap, including Brixton Coldharbour Lager and Camden Pale Ale.

An epic “pro-planet” venue for many, many reasons including the fact they are now a certified carbon neutral venue, offer entirely organic sustainable farm to fork plates, daily changing menu, and fab wine list. A stunning Clapham venue that offers some cracking events such as Pie Night Tuesday, and National Margarita day. Here you can find some cracking craft beer, bottle and on tap including Beavertown Gamma Ray, BrewDog Punk IPA and Camden Hells.

A gorgeous pub found just outside the gates of Kew Gardens, The Cricketers is an ideal place for a Sunday stroll and pub lunch, washed down with fresh pints of craft beer. With a sunny and simple outside courtyard, as well as cosy interior, this is a great venue for families or even relaxed hungover Sunday date afternoons. You can also catch live sport here, making it a great spot for groups of friends too in a relaxed setting where you can actually hear each other talk too. Find reasonably priced European gastropub food and a good range of craft beer.