Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park are part of the Royal Parks and have a wonderfully rich history with many interesting things to see. The Lancaster Hall Hotel is right next to Kensington Gardens and if you have completed our walking tour and are looking for a place to have lunch or have had a long day on the tourist trail we have put together a selection of pubs just a few moments away.
Pubs are a great British tradition with their informal nature whether meeting friends or just sitting back and watching the world go by. In an ever changing city where people are constantly coming and going it is good to pop into a local pub many of which have changed little in decades and see a familiar face. Here are our favourites surrounding Kensington Gardens. Incidentally, most of these pubs are on the north side of the park, handy for Paddington too.
The Victoria
The Victoria is a magnificent 19th century gem at the end of an impressive row of stucco fronted apartment blocks. Built in the first year of Victoria’s reign, many of the original features remain intact with wood panelling, grand fire places and etched mirrors. Upstairs the grandeur continues with the Theatre Bar.
Popular with the locals, we thoroughly recommend grabbing a table and ordering fish and chips with a pint of London Pride. If you are really after the authentic London experience then you can grab a table on a Tuesday evening and join in with the pub quiz. The Victoria is a short walk from Victoria Gate, where the road that separates Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park runs.
The Victoria, 10A Strathearn Place, W2 2NH. For further details and menu click here
The Churchill Arms
The Churchill Arms on Kensington Church Street must be the most photographed pub in London, if not the country.
Always adorned with colourful flowers and trees this pub dates back to 1750 and the Grandparents of Winston Churchill were regular visitors which led to the pub being renamed following the second World War.
Inside the eccentricity continues with an array of vintage objects hanging from the ceiling. Located a couple of streets back from Kensington Palace this pub should appear on any itinerary if you touring the area.
The Churchill Arms 119 Kensington Church Street, W8 7LN. For further details and menu click here
The Mitre
Located over the road from the Lancaster Hall Hotel and a few moments from the Italian Fountains in Kensington Gardens we have been frequenting this popular local pub for more years than we would like to admit. Dating back to the 1850s like much of the surrounding area this is an elegant Victorian drinking hole with many of its period features intact including open fireplaces which make it a perfect place to retreat to on a cold winters day.
Throughout the summer it is equally popular with the locals as drinkers spill out onto a terrace and the surrounding cobbled mews. In the basement there is Old Mary’s a characterful cocktail bar and upstairs above the pub the Lord Clive which is a more formal dining room set in magnificent period surrounding.
The Mitre, 24 Craven Terrace, W2 3QH. For further details and menu click here
The Swan
The Swan is perhaps the most handsome of a very pretty bunch of pubs. Set on the Bayswater Road directly opposite the entrance next to the Italian Fountains there is the option of sitting on the front terrace, inside or up on an elegant balcony. Upstairs, there is a dining room where a relaxed and informal dinner can be had with views onto the park. There is usually live music on a Friday evening making this a very charming place to eat drink and relax.
The Swan, 66 Bayswater Road, W2 3PH. For further details and menu click here
The Cleveland
The Cleveland is an elegant independent pub which has recently undergone a significant renovation restoring some very beautiful period features. A popular community pub set back a couple of streets from the Swan and Mitre you can grab a seat on the small terrace out the front or sit inside and gaze at the magnificent wooden ceiling. There is a dining room in the basement best suited for a cosy intimate dinner for two.
The Cleveland, 28 Chilworth Street, W2 6DT. For further details and menu click here
The Monkey Puzzle
The Monkey Puzzle is on Sussex Gardens a five minute walk from Lancaster Gate. This pub hails from the 1960s and what it lacks in period charm it more than makes up in a convivial and welcoming atmosphere. There is a sizeable terrace out the front with a hardy and loyal band of locals who keep it busy all year round. If you are looking to mix with a wide cross section of local Londoners than this is the pub for you. Beers from Dorset and hearty home cooked food await.
The Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, W2 1JQ. For further details and menu click here
The Champion
The Champion pub is at the Kensington Palace end of the Park towards Notting Hill Gate. Situated on the busy Bayswater Road this characterful pub. Large picture windows open inwards on a sunny day bringing the outside in and making this a pleasant pub to sit and watch the world go by.
The Champion, 1 Wellington Terrace W2 4LW. For further details and menu click here
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