A short walk from Soho and Leicester Square, Covent Garden is the most popular tourist area in the West End of London. As the home of numerous fine-dining restaurants, top-class hotels, art galleries, the Royal Opera House, and many other renowned theatre venues, Covent Garden is world-famous for being one of the entertainment hotspots of England’s capital city with millions flocking to enjoy its many attractions, day after day and night after night.
In such an epicentre of entertainment, there obviously has to be more than the odd house of refreshment available, whether it’s a swanky wine bar, cool cocktail joint, or just a good old-fashioned London boozer. And while the various bars of Covent Garden have come and gone over the years, it’s the traditional public houses that have endured in this tourist mecca, lasting the course and giving us a glimpse of a time before this corner of London became the amazingly busy attraction that it is.
Situated between St Martins Lane and Drury Lane, Covent Garden was so-called because of it originally being the location of a fruit and vegetable market. As very much a workers’ environment, it’s not surprising that many public houses were opened in Victorian times and many of those hostelries still exist today with many of their original features preserved, giving the pubs their wonderful character, enjoyed by visiting tourists and working London people alike. Of course, the choice of Covent Garden watering holes goes way beyond the good old boozer in 2024; here’s just a sample of the best options.
Mr Fogg’s Tavern
This tastefully themed pub pays tribute to Jules Verne’s fictitious explorer Phileas Fogg with the downstairs area décor consisting appropriately of souvenirs from around the world. There’s a stylish, well-stocked gin parlour upstairs that serves up an exquisite selection of award-winning cocktails inspired by Fogg’s travels and adventures, using original and authentic ingredients from around the world.
Eve Bar
Another themed establishment, but this time, it’s Biblical. With a dark, rather sinister entrance, this is all about ‘temptation’, with cocktails taking the place of Eve herself. The cocktails, like the bar snacks, are experimental and truly delicious. The slightly unsettling atmosphere is offset by a friendly staff eager to please. A rather different but memorable cocktail experience.
Side Hustle
This atmospheric bar situated inside the NoMad Hotel is actually an old Police Station, with a drinks menu specialising in exotic cocktails, many of them tequila and mezcal based. The lights are low and the mood and the food are casual, California inspired and very tasty. But it’s the bar’s drinking vibe that makes Side Hustle something different in the cocktail hour.
The Porterhouse
Something of a Covent Garden institution, this huge three-floor space is said to be the largest pub in London. The Irish brewing company behind the pub supplies every stout, ale and lager that are all highly rated by beer enthusiasts. The building itself is fascinating with its unconventional décor and feel; if you’re only going to one pub in Covent Garden, try make it this one.
Stereo
This underground bar is that little bit different and that bit cooler because the real star of the bar is live music. Located on the southside of Covent Garden's Piazza, Stereo serves up cocktails named after classic rock tracks while you get in the groove with live jazz, funk and disco. You’ll want to stay all night with the dancefloor vibes and the emphasis on having fun.
Freud
Deserving of its ‘iconic’ status, this basement bar has been serving cocktails since the mid- 1980s. It was refreshingly different then and still has that easy-going feel about it now. With that bohemian café vibe still going on, the classic cocktails are reasonably priced and the food is good and comforting. Freud could and should be a fixture on Shaftesbury Avenue for at least another 40 years.
Delaunay Bar
A truly grand café-restaurant, The Delaunay could be any stylish European capital in any decade since 1930. The décor oozes style with green leather banquette seating, dark wood, brass rails, antique mirrors and a black and white marble floor. With a bar menu just as vintage, the cocktails are inspired by the Golden Age of Theatre and all the glamour that suggests.
Lady of the Grapes
Dedicated to female winemakers, this Covent Garden spot is a beautifully simple, welcoming wine bar and bistro with a rustic, cosy decor. With a focus on organic wine and simple French cuisine, Lady of the Grapes looks to give the customer a ‘delightful epicurean experience’ with a knowledgeable staff on hand to make recommendations from the impressive wine menu.
Garrick Arms
Located next-door to the Garrick Theatre, the Garrick Arms is obviously popular with theatre goers. It manages to tick the box as an authentic London boozer but it is much more than that – it’s a lively place for a drink or two whether you’re looking to catch a show after or not. On the fringes of Leicester Square, the Garrick is the perfect pub in the perfect location.
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels
As the English sister of La Compagnie in Paris, this cosy wine bar is something of a hidden gem in Neal’s Yard in the heart of Covent Garden. With some sophistication and style, La Compagnie offers ‘an exploration of the world’s finest wines’. Set on two floors with the bonus of a terrace, you can enjoy one of those wines accompanied by delicious cheeses and tapas. Charming and perfect.
Being at the centre of London’s busiest tourist destination, Covent Garden has enough bars and pubs to satisfy every taste possible. Traditional pubs sit comfortably alongside the wine bars and cocktail bars, representing the diversity that London, and specifically Covent Garden, welcomes and offers in return. And with most patrons choosing to partake before or after attending other entertainment events nearby, the bars are an integral part of the enjoyment that continually brings visitors to London, time and again.
