PUBS IN FULHAM
UP FOR A TIPPLE? YOU’RE IN LUCK.
Pubs are like fashion: what draws one person in will most certainly repel another. Fortunately, pubs in Fulham are as varied as they are plentiful. From sporting havens, top-tier gastropubs, terrible carpets, a mecca to craft beer and more, options won’t be your problem – deciding will.
We’ve visited every pub in Fulham (all in the name of work) and whittled our favourites down to the below. Do let us know if you visit any.
P.S. They’re all dog friendly.
Don’t fancy the detail? Jump to: Google Maps guide | Apple Maps guide
The White Horse
Good for?
A TASTE OF HISTORY
I once heard someone say, “pubs are like museums, oh, the stories they could tell”. Well, if The White Horse could talk, it’d have a tale to tell, not to mention the poshest accent you could imagine…
Dating back to the 1800s, the White Horse is a Fulham institution, and no list of the best pubs in Fulham would be complete without it. It’s nicknamed ‘The Sloaney Pony’. Why? Well, Sloanes were fashionable, upper-class people; the pub is located on the edge of Parsons Green. Say no more. As for today’s clientele: sure, modern-day Sloanies flock, but it’s a bloody great boozer. And the spread of customers is much wider than its nickname might suggest.
Expect a wide variety of beer (think craft, wheat, world lagers and the stuff you know and love), cocktails and a decent wine menu. Heading there during the summer? Its beer garden is a great spot for watching the world go by. Oh, and it has a BBQ area. Yes, please.
To summarise: this pub is a Fulham institution. If you’re in the area, have a drink there. Consider it your Fulham rite of passage.
Did you know? The White Horse was voted The Best Pub in London in 2006 – sureee, it was decades ago and we’ve all seen great things deteriorate with time, but The White horse has genuinely retained its charm. The best pub we’ve been to? No, but it’s a good one.
1-3 Parsons Green, SW6 4UL; The White Horse
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The Eight Bells
Good for?
FEELING LIKE A LOCAL
Entering The Eight Bells is very much like going to a little village inn – friendly faces, cosy atmosphere and the epitome of good-old English pubs: red carpet. We love it.
As one person said to us whilst we were there, “this is a pub that serves food, not a restaurant that serves drink” – and we can’t put it any better than that.
The beer offering is bang on – beers that are meant to be cold are very much so (tepid beer is my bugbear), there’s a wide selection of ales and, for anyone wondering, they serve Guinness – this used to be a prerequisite of mine. As for food, it’s good pub grub. Its standout feature? No, not the red carpet. It’s the staff – every time we’ve been there, they’ve been incredibly friendly.
Old-fashioned decor? Check. Great beer? Check. Friendly faces? You know it.
The Eight Bells is your classic English pub that does exactly what it says on the tin.
89 Fulham High St, SW6 3JS; The Eight Bells
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The Harwood Arms
Good for?
FOOD. SERIOUSLY GOOD FOOD.
The only Michelin Star pub in London. Incredible food without the pretentiousness.
What more is there to say?
For those that like a bit more detail:
Whilst The Harwood Arms is technically a pub – after all, it serves Guinness and a selection of ales – it really is a restaurant. Put it this way, you’re not going to be popping in for a few glasses after work. But what a restaurant it is. Awarded a Michelin Star in 2010, it has held onto the accolade for the last decade with ease. Suffice it to say they’re pretty consistent.
Championing British produce with a focus on game, together with an extensive wine list to complement every flavour, this is very much an in-demand Fulham pub (restaurant) that continues to remain on top form. Put simply, it’s Michelin Star food without pomposity.
Book way ahead.
The London Butler tip: The Harwood Arms may serve delicious dish after dish, but the real star of the show is the Scotch Egg. Be sure to order them.
Corner of Walham Grove, SW6 1QP; Harwood Arms
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Brook House
Good for?
DATES & DECOR
First off, the interior of Brook House is insane: akin to a top-tier London restaurant.
Its aim is to combine the best of London’s top restaurants with the relaxed environment of London’s local pubs. Does it do this? Yes and no.
As we’ve said, Brook House is incredibly beautiful and the food is very, very good. But with that comes a particular environment: not a bad one by any means, quite the opposite- it’s elegant and sophisticated; even the bar chairs ooze class. This, by its very nature, means it won’t replicate the environment of a London local. Locals are relaxed because their focus is on community, not the quality of chair fabric. Again, this isn’t a bad thing, we love Brook House – just don’t go thinking you’re heading into a traditional pub environment like it professes to have.
The beer selection is outstanding; the quality of food is top-notch; and the interior is one of the best we’ve seen in a pub across London, let alone a pub in Fulham. Fulham certainly lacked this sort of thing. Was Brook House Fulham’s missing ingredient? We think so.
To summarise, this Fulham pub is a beauty. Get your camera ready and be prepared to turn your head a lot whilst you’re there – the level of detail is impressive.
65 New Kings Rd, SW6 4SG; Brook House
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Wolfpack
Good for?
CRAFT BEER. LOTS OF IT.
For those unaware of Wolfpack, they’re a brewery founded in 2014 by two rugby players, wholly aimed at the craft lager market. As they put it, it’s a pretty big leap going from the likes of Fosters to Gamma Ray. Wolfpack plugs this gap.
Fulham Broadway is home to Wolfpack’s latest den. To no surprise, craft beer is aplenty and, wow, is it good. We went there on a rainy Saturday afternoon, smashed down a silky craft pilsner with some luxury junk food (their words) and boy, did it hit the spot. This is the beauty of pubs: good ones provide a place to relax; great ones provide a level of comfort you didn’t even know you needed.
As for the pub itself, it’s been decked out in a way that makes you feel immediately comfortable. It’s a brilliant spot to watch sport and shoot the breeze (yes, we just said that). If you can’t tell, we’re big fans and we’ll be heading back soon.
The London Butler tip: With so many craft beers on offer, let the bartender know what sort of beer you like and they’ll sort you right out. Whilst it might be tempting to make the choice yourself, leave it to the wolves.
17 Vanston Pl, SW6 1AY; Wolfpack
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The Captain Cook
Good for?
SIMPLICITY
The Captain Cook is a cosy Fulham pub within walking distance of Parsons Green. Their ethos is good, unpretentious service, and that’s very much what we received.
It’s a place that lends itself to conversation: it’s hard to resist sitting down, feeling at ease and chatting away. The sign of a good pub. Oh, and the croquettes and patatas bravas are a big hit with locals.
They also have spacious rooms upstairs that provide the ideal base for exploring London. Check out our Fulham hotels article for our favourite stays in the area.
The London Butler tip: Heading here during summer? There’s a little garden out the back that’s sheltered from the wind.
203-205 Dawes Rd, SW6 7QY; The Captain Cook
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The Durell Arms
Good for?
LIVE MUSIC & SPORT
This isn’t a place you go to for a cosy chat by the fire; The Durell Arms is where you go to have a good time.
Priding themselves on live music and events (think things like Quiz Tuesdays, Wings Wednesdays and guaranteed band nights), Fulham locals love it – and it sure as hell gets busy.
It’s a lively bar with a lively crowd. Quite simply, this is more than a pub in Fulham: it’s where the party’s usually at.
704 Fulham Rd, SW6 5SA; The Durell Arms
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The Kings Arms
Good for?
POST-WORK BEVS
Located a couple of minutes from Putney Bridge station, The Kings Arms Fulham is an ideal haunt for after-work drinks. This isn’t a ‘stand at the bar’ sort of pub, but there’s plenty of space in the form of large sofas and clusters of intimate tables for groups and couples alike.
It’s also got +10 screens to show sports, so if you’re struggling for a pub in Fulham to watch the game, this is a safe bet.
Oh, and darts. There are a couple of boards that you can book for exclusive hire – it’s great fun and I’m bloody useless at it.
425 New Kings Rd, SW6 4RN; The Kings Arms
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A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT
Fox & Pheasant
COUNTRY VIBES IN CHELSEA
The Fox & Pheasant is one of our favourite pubs in London – not only do they have a beautiful conservatory setting for summer (they can wind their roof down), but it also becomes a cosy little den come winter (this is a place to go to for drinks by a fire- in fact, there are 3 fireplaces to choose from).
The best way to describe this pub is to imagine you’ve been on a long country walk and in need of libation. This is the pub you’d hope to find at that very moment. Warm and inviting. The food is outstanding, only second to the service.
Oh, and James Blunt owns it – we’re not sure if this gives it any credence, but it’s a fact nonetheless.
It’s also the epitome of a dog-friendly pub. Expect pooches galore.
1 Billing Rd, SW10 9UJ; Fox & Pheasant
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Let us know if you visit any of these Fulham pubs and what you thought of them.
See our guide via: Google Maps | Apple Maps
Interested in more Fulham tips? Check out our guide to the best bars in Fulham, brunch in Fulham, and for those that need somewhere to stay after a BNO, our curated list of Fulham hotels. Oh, and a random one – our guide to Fulham’s barbers.