The 5 best pubs in Southwark

Tomato, tomato, bierhall, pub. If you’re reading this, then you’re here for beer and one thing Katzenjammers know about is beer.

The bierhall, self-described as a modern take on a Bavarian bierkeller, has two floors. Upstairs is the bierkeller and downstairs you’ll find the bierhall. Katzenjammers have made it easy to remember – upstairs for drinking, downstairs for dancing. Simple, right?

With simple wooden benches and a stripped-back school hall interior, you can tell that they’ve picked function over fashion, and it’s obvious why. Who needs plush booths when you have good pints, good music, and good company?

Make your way downstairs, following the sounds of the Oom-Pah band, slide into a bench, and take your pick of any of their 30 bottled beers and 9 draught beers. Prost!

Duke of York is a lot like your typical pub. Think oak floors, wood furniture, and an inoffensive beige and brown palette to match. By all counts, a pretty standard place to go for a pint.

Where it gets interesting is that all their beers are supplied by Shepherd Neame, Britain’s oldest brewer. Since 1698, they’ve been brewing beers for the country, and to this day they’re still using revamped recipes.

It’s on Borough Road, right in the heart of Southwark. Stop by, and grab yourself a pint. That’s history right there.

Somewhere on Snowsfields Road is The Miller, Southwark’s answer to anyone who’s wanted a pub and comedy club. Come on down for your pick of their rotating cask menu. Think Beavertown, Brixton Brewery, Amstel, Heineken, and Birra Moretti.

Maybe it’s the foosball table, the interesting art of the Mona Lisa or maybe it’s the comedy stage, but you wouldn’t be mistaken for thinking you’re in a bar in New York. This isn’t your regular pub, it’s a cool pub.

If you’re in the mood for a chuckle or two, they also host a Hoopla improv comedy club upstairs and a live DJ every Friday night. Beers, live music, and comedy, now doesn’t that sound like a good night out?

Right at the front of Borough Market (Southwark Street, to be exact), is the cosy and well-loved pub, The Southwark Tavern. Get away from the monotony of the day and the busy streets, sit down with friends or colleagues, and grab a pint. You’ll be here a while.

With colourful stools and a bar so blue that it’s hard to miss, it’s a little cheerier than your usual pub, and just what you need after a long day.

Try one of their craft beers, fruity ciders, or maybe an international larger. Or take a look at their food menu. Halloumi fries, anyone?

What do Dickens, Shakespeare, and Southwark have in common? A lot, probably. One thing though, is that the two literary greats used to drink at this pub (Dickens even referred to it in his novel, Little Dorrit).

The George Inn, or The George as it’s more commonly known, has its own impressive piece of Southwark history. It’s the only remaining galleried London coaching inn. During the 17th century, stagecoaches to and from London would stop by here.

Now the pub, which also has a lovely beer garden serves as a rest stop for thirsty Londoners and tourists.

If you’re in the mood for a side of history with your pint, The George’s doors are open.