Not only one of the most storied neighbourhoods in London, but in the UK, Soho has long attracted a bohemian crowd. Famous denizens range from Francis Bacon to Lucian Freud, Charles de Gaulle to royalty, and modern stars such as Madonna to Margot Robbie – all of whom have been sucked in by Soho’s unique allure, history and atmosphere. Having evolved from a hunting ground established by King Henry VIII in the 16th century to a cosmopolitan hub in the 1900s, this rabbit warren of streets sandwiched between Mayfair, Westminster and Covent Garden remains synonymous with nightlife, music, counterculture, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Much of this past can be found imprinted in Soho’s proper pubs and boozers, with some harking back to the neighbourhood’s heyday in the late 20th century while others have stood the test of time (its oldest dates back to 1724). Soho is, quite simply, a smorgasbord of London culture – and there are few places to get a better taste of it than at one of its public houses. Not sure where to visit? Discover our guide to the best, and most iconic, pubs in Soho.
The Coach and Horses
The Coach and Horses has been repeatedly voted as the best pub in London by The Evening Standard, which is rather, er, serendipitous given its reputation with journalists. Once a bohemian bolthole that attracted Soho’s best (and worst) writers, artists and creatives, it is perhaps most famous for being the weekly haunt of the Private Eye office, as well as featuring in Jeffrey Bernard’s Low Life column in The Spectator.
Its starry credentials don’t stop there: regular patrons included Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and Peter O’Toole; its landlord for 60 years in the 20th century, Norman Balon, was famous for being London’s rudest (which only added to its charm); and the pub was immortalised in Keith Waterhouse’s 1989 play Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, which carefully replicated its interior on stage. Talking of which, while the pub dates back to 1724, the 1930s interiors led to its inclusion in the CAMRA National Inventory. Aside from all of the above, it still serves a perfect pint – traditional Fuller’s beers such as London Pride and Seafarers are served, while a roster of three ales and a cider are constantly changing – although doesn’t serve food. However, with so many restaurants on your doorstep, consider The Coach and Horses as the ideal locale for a pre-meal drink, or nightcap.
29 Greek Street, W1D 5DH, visit coachandhorsessoho.pub
The French House
Adorned in regal blue and flanked with French flags, this pub originally started its life as the York Minster pub, but was long known as The French House among locals. This came after the Second World War, when rumours swirled around Soho that General Charles de Gaulle escaped to London and wrote his famous speech, À tous les Français, in the pub. The establishment officially changed its name after a fire in 1984.
The French House still abides by its no pints rule established in the 1920s, only serving half pints to encourage slower drinking and conversation throughout the year apart from on 1 April, where pints flow throughout the day and are usually served by a celebrity (Madness’ Suggs has been known to be behind the bar). Go today and you will find no music, no television, and no slot machines – this pub is about socialising and conversation. Some things never change.
49 Dean Street, W1D 5BG, visit frenchhousesoho.com
The Toucan
Tucked away just behind Oxford Street, The Toucan is an ode to Ireland’s favourite tipple: Guinness. It wasn’t always this way. Back in the 1960s, the Greek Street establishment was, rather aptly, a Greek restaurant by day and then a music venue by night, having hosted the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Chas Chandler in its heyday. Its affiliation with Guinness came in the 1990s, when its then landlord was so concerned about London’s lack of good Guinness that serving the Irish stout became its raison d'être.
That continues today, albeit under the direction of landlords Colin and his wife Carol Taylor, who are proud custodians of Soho’s first Guinness bar. Inside the tiny pub, expect painted toucans adorning the walls alongside plenty of Guinness memorabilia, impromptu live music performances, famous celebrations for events like St Patrick’s Day, and hordes of punters enjoying the perfect pint of Guinness.
19 Carlisle Street, W1D 3BY, visit thetoucansoho.co.uk
The Blue Posts
Located on the fringes of Chinatown, The Blue Posts is an original Georgian pub dating back to 1739 and a popular boozer serving everything from British craft beers, ciders and select wines. Having proudly served Soho for nearly 300 years, the pub was ushered into the modern age in 2017 when it was taken over by the team behind The Palomar and The Barbary. It reopened to the public with the pub still intact, but the addition of a Michelin-starred restaurant Evelyn’s Table in its basement and a first-floor cocktail bar, The Mulwray.
You can still expect proper pub vibes here, with the menu boasting an array of cask ales, a sophisticated wine list and unique cocktails such as the saffron negroni. Feeling peckish? Dine on small plates by the accoladed kitchen downstairs, such as three cheese and spring onion toasties, smoked potato and porridge sourdough, and butter and Cobbled Lane cured meats.
8 Rupert Street, W1D 6DJ, visit theblueposts.co.uk
The Shaston Arms
While it may not boast a storied past like other public houses on this list, what The Shaston Arms lacks in history it certainly makes up for in atmosphere. It opened its doors in 1999 and has since become a staple just off Carnaby Street, but was transformed just last year under the direction of Patty and Bun founder, Joe Grossmann. Inside, expect dark and moody interiors, a bar serving pints of Guinness and a serious wine list mostly focusing on European, low-intervention wines, and an upmarket food menu featuring merguez frites baguette, steak with beef lardons, scallops and mash, and a Sunday menu.
4-6 Ganton Street, W1F 7QN, visit theshastonarms.co.uk
The Devonshire
Despite serving Soho since 1793, The Devonshire’s renaissance has become one of the most talked about happenings in the pub world in recent years. Now an iconic institution in London – so much so that you will need to book months in advance for even a 9pm restaurant sitting – head to this green, three-storey pub on the corner of Denman Street any night of the week and you’ll find a crowd of commuters and office workers buzzing around its doors, no doubt with pints of Guinness in hand. It's been said to serve the best Guinness in London, serving 20,000 of the pints every week, with its perfect pour designed by its landlord and Irish publican Oisín Rogers.
Now a celebrity haunt and one of the UK’s hottest gastropubs, its bar menu ranges from £4.95 for a pint to £2,000 for a bottle of wine. Downstairs, expect standing room only, drinkers spilling out onto the streets and an authentic pub experience. Upstairs, Heston Blumenthal protégé Ashley Palmer-Watts leads the kitchen, serving Scottish beef, dry-aged and butchered on site, creel-caught langoustines from Oban, and lobster and hand-dived scallops from Devon in a candle-lit dining room. This truly offers the best of both worlds. Two birds, one stone.
17 Denman Street, W1D 7HW, visit devonshiresoho.co.uk
Read more: The best pubs in Mayfair
