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Fancy a pint in a Borough Market pub? All that food tasting and market shopping can get tiring – plus given it is so close to London Bridge station, this is perfect place for a pint in central London. Luckily, it is never too early to have a pint in the Borough Market pubs, as many of the local bars and pubs are open all day and night, to provide tipples to the market-traders.
Better yet – there is a really good mix of old and new pubs in Borough Market, from 17th century pubs through to a new brewery bar that opened in 2023.
From the UK’s only inn managed by the National Trust to a bonanza of craft beer bars, here is our guide to the best Borough Market pubs (2023):
Best Borough Market Pubs
Table of Contents
1. The Market Porter
One of the most well known and best pubs in Borough Market is The Market Porter, a glorious Victorian boozer that feels like you are stepping back in time as you enter.
Often bedecked with flowers outside during the summer months (as well as drinkers), film fans will also be pleased to hear the Market Porter featured in a Harry Potter movie (The Prisoner of Azkaban), as the Third Hand Book Emporium.
Everytime we visit the London Bridge area, we spy lots of people drinking outside the Market Porter and it is easily one of Borough Market’s best pubs. Inside, it is a little on the dark side and we usually opt to drink outside on the beer barrels – it also has a great view of the market plus nice coffee roastery wafts from next door Monmouth Coffee.
On tap, The Market Porter serves over 10 different types of ale and craft beer and yep, it does often serve pints of Porter too – pub grub at the Market Porter is also available.
Address: The Market Porter, 9 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AA
Find out more about things to do in London Bridge here >
2. The George Inn
Another of the closest and oldest Borough Market pubs is The George Inn, Britain’s only pub managed by the National Trust and the last remaining galleried inn in the capital.
Dating from the 17th century, Charles Dickens visited here when it was a coffee house and it also features in his novel Little Dorrit.
The best way to imbibe at the George Inn is wandering around (with a pint in hand of course) all the various old rooms and walkways spread around the several floors of this former coaching house. This Borough Market pub is literally one minute walk away from the market entrance.
Address: The George Inn, 75 Borough High Street, London SE1 1NH
Like historic pubs? Read about things to do in the historic Square Mile of London >
3. The Wheatsheaf
Located right next to all the comings and goings of the street traders, The Wheatsheaf is a Borough Market pub in the thick of the action and a perfect place for a pint post shopping.
Originally dating back to the 1770s, this is an iconic Borough Market pub owned by Youngs Brewery that also has a small beer garden with heaters, making it an all weather boozer. In recent years, a campervan (well half of one) has been added to the outside area making quite the feature.
The Wheatsheaf pub usually has a good selection of beers on tap and serves traditional english pub grub fare.
Address: The Wheatsheaf, 6 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AA
Read about the Blackhorse Beer Mile in Walthamstow >
4. The Bridge Tap
A little different from the other Borough Market pubs, the Bridge Tap is more of a modern style pub offering various craft on draft plus is popular for live sports (busy especially on Saturday afternoons with the football crowd). Cocktails are also part of the ‘mix’ and there is a Gin Lab if beer isn’t for you.
The Bridge Tap is a few steps away from Borough market on Borough High Street.
The Bridge Tap Borough Market pub also offers Crafternoon Tea where slider burgers, waffles and other hedonistic hot food is combined with unlimited beer (or prosecco) for two hours starting from £40pp.
Address: The Bridge Tap, 32 Borough High Street, London
Read about the Leytonstone Beer Mile in east London here >
5. The Anchor Bankside
A short 15 minute stroll from Shakespeare’s Globe is the historic Anchor Bankside pub (there has been some form of pub on this site for over 800 years).
Depending on your outlook Anchor Bankside is either most famous as the pub where Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire of London from in 1666, or where Tom Cruise had a pint in the closing scenes of Mission Impossible.
Either way, the Anchor Bankside is one of London’s best riverside pubs and bars, a traditional inn (rebuilt in the 19th century) that is cosy in winter (warm fireplaces) or resplendent in summer with its outdoor beer garden (Pimms o clock!). They also do fantastic fish and chips, plus some rather good pub pies too.
Address: The Anchor Bankside, 34 Park Street, London SE1 9EF
Read our ‘South bank walk London’ guide which features the Anchor Bankside.
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6. The Rake, Borough Market
Handily located right next door the Borough Market Kitchen street food court, the Rake is one of the best stocked pubs in Borough Market (also neatly doubling as a bottle store)
A bit like Doctor Who’s Tardis, despite The Rake being one of the smallest Borough Market pubs, there are hundreds of craft beers to choose from with well stocked chillers and fridges full of beer plus a few on draft. There is also a small outdoor seating area.
Specialising in American craft beer plus top notch Belgian beer, do yourself a favour and hop along to The Rake – best paired with street food from next door.
Address: The Rake, Borough Market, 14A Winchester Walk, London SE1 9AG
Discover the best American bars in London >
7. The Barrowboy and Banker
Given its title, it won’t be a surprise that this Borough Market pub used to be a former bank – a fine Fullers Brewery pub, the Barrow Boy and Banker bar has a large open plan downstairs bar just across from London Bridge station, plus a recently renovated dining room looking out over Southwark Cathedral – praise be!
As big fans of Fuller’s Brewery, we’d recommend a pint of Fuller’s Frontier lager (one of the best pints in London) or their world famous London Pride (which seems kinda fitting for Borough Market, one of the best known and longest running markets in the world).
One of the best Borough Market pubs for food, we’d also highlight that the speciality of The Barrowboy and Banker is their hot pies (a traditional english food). Try their steak and Fuller’s London pride, shallots and mushroom pie served with seasonal greens and red wine gravy!
Address: The Barrowboy and Banker, 6-8 Borough High Street, London SE1 9QQ
Read about the Fuller’s Brewery Tour in Chiswick, West London >
6. Southwark Tavern
Just across from Padella Pasta, the Southwark Tavern is a popular Borough Market pub that has an outdoor seating area with a prime view of the market entrance – so popular in fact, it can be hard to get a seat so head there early if you are planning an all day session.
The Southwark Tavern is proud of its craft beer range and rotates its breweries – on our last visit, we found Signature Brew from Walthamstow on tap plus Two Tribes Brewery, based near Kings Cross station.
As well as Sunday Roasts, the Southwark Tavern bang out good pub good including sirloin steaks, duck salads and beer battered haddock and chips.
Address: The Southwark Tavern, 22 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TU
7. The Sheaf
Handily located in the Hop Exchange, the Sheaf is an underground bar and rated by Time Out as one of the best 500 bars in London.
A former wine bar and of one London’s last remaining freehouses, the Sheaf has a huge ale selection on tap plus has a host of London brewery beers on tap including Hells Brewery from Camden, Beavertown Neck Oil from Tottenham plus from a little further afield, Whitstable Bay Oyster stout
Address: The Sheaf, 24a Southwark Street, London SE1 1RQ
Taste Camden Hells at the brewery source – read our things to do in Camden guide >
8. Katzenjammers
Lederhosen at the ready…also in the Hop Exchange, Katzenjammers is a Borough Market beer hall with plenty of oomph (pah)
Billed as London’s coolest Bierkeller, this is one of the more memorable Borough Market pubs. Staff are dressed in German beer hall outfits and there are regular German oompah band.
Raise a huge beer glass whilst sitting on the traditional wooden benches. A little bit of Bavaria in Borough Market, ‘prost’ to this central London beer hall.
Address: Katzenjammers, The Hop Exchange, 24 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TY
Like this? Every Christmas, a huge London beer hall pops up in Hyde Park – find out more >
9. The Globe Tavern
If you arrive at the Globe Tavern for the first time and get a sense of deja vu, it might be because you’ve seen it in the movies – a popular filming location in Borough Market, The Globe Tavern pub is where you’ll find Bridget Jones’s upstairs apartment / flat in the movie series.
Located underneath London Bridge arches and amidst all the Borough Market action, the Globe Tavern is a classic British pub set over two floors. There is a small seating area outside offering market views and you can’t go far wrong with a pint or two here watching the world go by.
Address: The Globe Tavern, Borough Market, 8 Bedale Street, London SE1 9AL
10. The Old Thameside Inn
The Old Thameside Inn pub is just a 2 minute walk from Borough Market and has stunning views of the River Thames and the city, with ample outdoor beer garden space.
Better still, it located right next to the Golden Hind ship, a replica of the original ship, built in 1973 and docked here in 1996 after travelling the world (the original Golden Hinde, captained by Sir Francis Drake was launched in 1577 and best known for sailing around the world in the 1570s). Talk about a unique beer garden view.
Pre pub days, the Old Thameside Inn bar was a former spice warehouse on Pickford’s Wharf docks, dating back to the 16th century – the original Clink Prison was also located just behind the pub.
Address: The Old Thameside Inn, Pickfords Wharf, Clink Street, London SE1 9DG
Find out more about London’s best pubs on the river here >
11. Bunch of Grapes
This Bunch of Grapes is a ‘fine vintage’ affair and a very, very popular Borough Market pub (particularly for after work drinks) – we think its popularity stems from the fact that the outdoor area right at the front of the pub has some of the best views of the Shard anywhere in London – it is literally right in front of you!
Better still, there is a small beer garden out back with beer barrels as chairs and an astroturf lawn – a lovely London bridge pub to eat, drink and be merry in.
Address: The Bunch of Grapes, 2 St Thomas Street, London SE1 1LY,
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12. The Old King’s Head
A ‘Royally’ good Borough Market pub (sorry not sorry), the Old KIng’s Head is a top, traditional London Bridge tavern that oozes charm and character. It is also one of the few pubs in and around Borough Market that has a happy hour – we wonder if this is by Royal appointment?
The closest pub to London Bridge Underground station and located down a side street, this is a good bar for an alfresco alleyway ale – take a step back in time and visit the Old King’s Head pub.
Address: The Old Kings Head, King’s Head Yard, London SE1 1NA
13. Borough Market Craft Beer Tour
We love Borough Market – there is no better way to spend a few hours than exploring all the food stalls, sampling dishes from all over the world.
That said, whilst most go for the food experience, Borough Market has plenty of beery history to explore.
UK Brewery Tours offer a dedicated Borough Market Craft Beer private tour that explores the brewing history of Borough Market before heading along to more breweries along the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Hops and history are always a good combination we find!
YOU MIGHT LIKE: Best Craft Beer Brewery Tours in London >
14. Utobeer
We mentioned the Rake as a good Borough Market pub earlier – the owners of The Rake also have a fine craft beer and bottle shop located in the heart of Borough Market, called Utobeer.
Utobeer has a really good beer selection with bottles of beer from all over the world (and a particularly good Belgian beer selection) – at any one time, they have over 500 bottles of beer to choose from. Wow!
Whilst you can’t drink at Utobeer, it does have a chiller / fridge full of choice craft beers to take away meaning a riverside beer session could be on the cards accompanied with picnic street food from Borough Market.
Address: Utobeer, 24 Borough Market, London SE1 1TL
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The final best Borough Market Pub…
15. Mondo Beer and Pizza
We round out our ‘best Borough Market pubs’ guide with Borough Market’s newest pub (as at April 2023) – welcome Mondo Beer and Pizza, a new pub and brewery bar set up in next door Borough Yards.
Battersea based Mondo Beer’s Borough Market pub has an incredible beer range from Dennis Hopp’r IPA through to Phantasm of the Hopera (we love a good beer pun). Cocktails are also available – as this is a pizza joint, just make sure you ask for the right kind of ‘margarita’.
Fresh takeaway pints are also available from Mondo Beer Brewery in Borough Market – we’ll raise a (beer) glass to that.
Address: Mondo Beer and Pizza, Borough Market / Borough Yards, Arch 232 Bank End, London SE1 9FJ
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Borough Market London – Useful Information for your visit
How to get to Borough Market London
Borough Market is within a short walking distance of London Bridge mainline train station, and northern and jubilee London underground lines.
Address: 8 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TL
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- Best Immersive Experiences in London
- Instagrammable Places in London – Top Photo Spots
- Best Craft Beer Brewery Tours in London
- The Churchill Arms – the most colourful pub in London
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