10 pubs you should visit in Greenwich and why

For me, Greenwich is one of the best areas of London. Its town centre is full of artisan shops and markets that make it far more attractive than most other parts of the capital. It also has history oozing out of every nook and cranny such as the Royal Naval College, Cutty Sark and Royal Observatory (to name just three in a very long list). But the best thing about Greenwich? Its pubs. From no-nonsense boozers to fancy gastropubs where your filet mignon is served on a roof tile. Greenwich has it all. And here are my favourites and why these are pubs you should visit in Greenwich.

1. Richard 1, Royal Hill

The Richard – or “The Tolly” as the locals call it – is one of the oldest pubs on Royal Hill and certainly the only one to have retained the same name since it was established. Starting as a single building at number 52 Royal Hill it expanded to the building next door in 1923 and then again, taking over what was the Greenwich Union in 2021 creating one of the area’s largest pubs and an impressive beer garden.

Being off the tourist track, The Tolly attracts a mostly local crowd although canny visitors to Greenwich who’ve done their research will seek it out. The reason you should make the effort to find it is because of its food. Unlike a typical pub kitchen, everything is made fresh at the Richard with a team of up to 12 kitchen staff on busy Sundays (top tip: reserve a table if you fancy a traditional Sunday roast – it gets super busy).

2. Ye Olde Rose & Crown, Coombs Hill

With strong ties to Greenwich Theatre next door, the Rose has always attracted a ‘theatrical’ crowd. And yes that’s a euphemism for the LGBT+ community. But that doesn’t mean its exclusionary; the Rose could best be described as ‘Straight Friendly’ – everyone receives a warm welcome.

By day the crowd is mostly tourists pouring out of Greenwich Park in search of lunch and refreshments. By night the Rose puts on its glad rags and hosts cabaret and events designed to get the party started. If you think drag acts are the lipsyncers defined by RuPaul’s Drag Race, get yourself down to the Rose any weekend to witness drag singing live and often pretty darn well. It’s almost impossible not to get swept up in the infectious enthusiasm of a drag night at the Rose & Crown.

3. The Kings Arms, King William Walk

It’s called ‘The Bunker’ and a sign outside the pub offers two explanations. One option is that it was used as a shelter during the war, the second, possibly more fanciful reason was labourers used to leave their shovels outside the pub and ‘bunk off’ work having a tipple inside.

Apart from the friendly staff and cute beer garden, the reason you should pay The Kings Arms a visit is for their weekly pub quiz on a Thursday. If you think you’ve played a pub quiz before, think again – this one is a ‘Speed Quiz’ played on your phone (or a rented tablet). With just ten seconds to answer each question and bonuses for fastest finger, it’s quite a frantic event. And don’t worry, even if you’re doing poorly, the Fast Track Wheel may propel you to the top of the leaderboard to win a cash prize.

4. The Graduate, Blackheath Road

I won’t try and dress it up, The Graduate is not a fancy pub. It’s a cheap boozer with a couple of pool tables, dart board and live sports on multiple tellies. One less-than-sympathetic review in the local rag summed it up as “a simple pub which defies even its own namesake by having not one customer that looks like they have ever set foot in a university.” A funny line, but does a disservice to this unpretentious pub.

The Graduate has one of the latest licenses for pubs in Greenwich which makes it popular with bar staff from other pubs who want a drink after their shift. If you’ve visited some of the other venues on this list, don’t be surprised if you’re sitting next to the person who served you a drink earlier. But the real reason you should pop into the Grad? It serves absolutely the best pint of Guinness in Greenwich, and that’s all down to Irish owner Andy who knows how to do things proper.

5. The Pelton, Pelton Road

Another pub that’s off the tourist track but worth seeking out is The Pelton, just around the corner from the way more touristy pub, The Cutty Sark. The Pelton has a traditional English pub feel because of this, featured in the Only Fools and Horses spin off Rock & Chips. To this day there’s two pub names on the exterior – The Pelton (obviously) and The Nags Head, the name used in the TV series.

Apart from surrounding yourself in a little bit of TV history, the best reason for adding The Pelton to your itinerary is the wood-fired pizzas. Out in the garden they’ve built a proper Italian pizza oven and produce a constant stream of traditional pizzas with inventive toppings that you’re never going to find at Domino’s. Being off the tourist track, they’re great value too.

6. The Guildford, Guildford Grove

The Guildford can be described as an artisan pub – the sort of place you’d go to for a special occasion or get together rather than a casual drink. Its small triangular front bar often looks deserted and that’s because all the action happens in the beautiful sunken garden out the back where they’ve created a haven of levels and intimate areas for you to enjoy time with your friends.

It could be argued that The Guildford is more of a restaurant with a bar attached. Like the Richard 1, they have a full team of kitchen staff and their chefs come up with menu options that wouldn’t be out of place on a Michelin Starred fine dining establishment. Onglet Steak with Chimichuri Butter, anyone?

7, 8 & 9. Belushi’s / The North Pole / The Lost Hour

I’m grouping these three pubs together as they appeal to a younger crowd and sports fans. All three offer food options that feature standards such as burgers, wings and nachos. All three also have multiple TVs to screen the latest matches. All three compete on price, typically getting you a pint for a quid or two cheaper that some of the fancier options in Greenwich. Each has its own unique twist to tempt the students from Greenwich Uni through its doors.

Belushi’s is part of an international chain and the pub has a hostel built onto it. It hosts events such as karaoke and live DJ nights. The North Pole is part of Stonegate, the UK’s largest pub chain. It’s well known in Greenwich for sports and cheap deals on food plus has a pool table on the first floor. The North Pole is the only independent pub in this threesome and has Turkish owners, which influences some of the facilities on offer such as their Shisha Bar and belly dancing nights. If you’re looking for a party night, you can’t really go wrong with any of these venues.

10. The Mitre, Greenwich High Road

The Mitre is a beautiful building – I loved drawing it. And the inside doesn’t disappoint either. An immaculate bar area, two outside spaces and a pretty conservatory. The cherry on this particularly delicious cake is I also love the friendly staff who work there – professional to the hilt and always ready to go the extra mile.

The reason to put The Mitre on your list, apart from the fact it’s such a lovely pub, is the ever-rotating list of craft beers. If you want sample some of the great brews from across London at the UK, you’ll find a wide selection at The Mitre. And if you think you’ve tried them all, pop in tomorrow. There’ll be a new one on tap.