BV London Pub of the Year 2025-26 - part two

Here's the second batch of contestants in the latest London Pub of the Year survey. 

In part one we reassessed last year's top five and now we have five new contenders. Well, technically three new contenders and two 'Re-Entries' if you still watch old Top of the Pops episodes - and why wouldn't you?

Can we find ourselves an overall winner amongst these five pubs?  

 

Trafalgar, Merton

Whenever I'm looking for somewhere to live, a top priority is having a good pub nearby. It's pretty much non-negotiable for me. So it's always infuriating when housing developers buy up land with the intention of demolishing pubs, as if they don't think future residents deserve somewhere to drink! A particularly egregious example of this abject madness is in South Wimbledon where developers intended to get rid of the best pub for miles around. Thankfully, the 'Save the Traf' campaign appears to have won the day, at least for now. It was actually closed for quite a long time and faced the most uncertain of uncertain futures, so this is a big win for the little guy. 

Time for another beer at the Traf

This part of Merton is a little off the beaten track, and on a corner of a site that is now mostly vacated and derelict ex-council properties. But the obvious solution is for any new development to be built around it, so residents can continue to enjoy the Traf in its rightful place at the heart of their community.  

Range of draught beers: Since the Traf was last in the competition, there has been considerable improvement in the variety of beer, making the pub a bit of a destination for tickers these days. There's usually at least five cask ales on, which can increase to seven during certain events (and several more on stillage in the yard when a beer festival is running). The 'bonus' casks at the end of the bar are sometimes rare extra-strong beers - think Abbeydale Last Rites or Thomas Hardy's Ale (both well over 10%) - and there are often exclusive collaborations that serve as a kind of 'seasonal house beer'. You'll also find plenty of choice on keg, with decent lager, hoppy IPA, something sour and something dark and strong usually on offer. For a small pub, they're well and truly punching. 2 points. 

Quality of real ale: The cask here is very good, as one would expect from their reputation as a CAMRA award winner. Consistently drinkable. Another 2 points.

Bonus points: First up, the efforts of Oli and the team at the Traf (and the local community) to keep the place going have been seriously impressive. If every pub preservation project showed this much dedication and passion, we'd never lose a local again. Gold star! They also pick up a point for their beer festivals, now held with increasing frequency, which are well worth attending. It's also a good pub for authentic and traditional cider - not just the bag-in-box fruit stuff that has become an easy option for many pubs. And then there's an innovative snack selection, including mini papadoms with dip! There's so much to like about this place that a full 3 points is well deserved.

 

Sutton Arms, Clerkenwell

Our other 'retread' this year can be found just to the North of the 'Square Mile' in that weird little area that is surprisingly central, and yet which can feel, in its own way, strangely isolated and distant. The Sutton Arms is a relatively unassuming street corner pub, but one that has built up a reputation in recent years for craft beer

Range of draught beers: The cask selection (usually three or four) comes from top-drawer craft brewers, and can feature some pretty interesting stuff. I had a Light Mild from Woodshedding brewery on a recent visit, which you probably wouldn't expect in central-ish London. The range leans slightly more towards craft keg, with perhaps a slight 'continental' bias; expect genuine imported Lagers, and maybe a Saison or Gose to be getting on with. Another thing I like about this place is that they're not afraid to 'go low'. Alcohol Free beers have become very popular, but beers in the awkwardly intermediate 1-3% ABV range are still very uncommon, so it's quite refreshing (literally) to see a 2% Radler or something on keg. It's possibly less rewarding if you're wanting dark or strong beers, but that's more of an observation than a criticism. 2 points. 

An enticing beer board...

Quality of real ale: On my visits to this place in the past I considered the cask to be OK but nothing special. Something has changed substantially, because this past year it's been really, really good. Almost exceptional. Even in hot weather. In London FFS. I don't know the place well enough to have an explanation for this, but I've really enjoyed the cask pints I've supped here, which have that 'elevated via superior conditioning' magic that seems beyond most pubs. Almost perfect. 2.5 points.  

Bonus points: Pies! Delicious, hearty pies are an ideal accompaniment to several pints, and the pastry offerings here really are top notch and worth a bonus point. Other than that, it feels a bit 'bare bones' - I'm not sure there's anything much that can earn them an entire extra point, and that makes me feel a bit of a harsh mistress because it is a nice pub with really good beer and pies. OK then, the prices are actually pretty reasonable for this part of the world, so I'll give them a half point bonus for that, making a total of 1.5. 

 

River Ale House, Greenwich

This micropub in South East London has been around for the better part of a decade, and finally makes its debut in the competition. It's not actually that near the River, at least not the Thames, but is instead located just south of the Greenwich peninsula, a short walk from Westcombe Park station and very much not the bit of Greenwich that the tourists visit.

Not an actual river

Range of draught beers: It follows the 'old school micropub' formula - all cask, with beers (and ciders) coming from a cold store out the back, and that's not a bad thing. There are usually at least five casks on, ever changing, and the selection will usually include at least one dark beer, and something resolutely in the 'Traditional English Bitter' category. This is not a place for you if you want keg or anything super-unusual, but that was never the micropub ethos anyway. You know what you can expect here, especially now that I've told you! 1.5 points.

Quality of real ale: Some of the first wave of Kent-corridor micropubs in former shop units got a bad reputation for flaccid, lifeless beer, almost certainly because of the lack of effective temperature controls. The key was always trying to replicate the conditions of a traditional cellar, in the absence of one, and the River Ale House has got that down to a tee. It probably helps that customers are forced cajoled into drinking cask, so it can turn over swiftly, but I'm very impressed with the quality here. 2 points.   

Bonus points: I struggle to find places that serve my preferred brand of dry roasted peanuts - Tavern Snacks. They have them here, so that's worth a point. As with many micropubs, the sheer range of cider (and perry) available is hugely impressive, so that is worth another. And, as with the Sutton Arms, I'm going to give them a further half point for competitive pricing for the area, making a total of 2.5.

 

 

Express Tavern, Brentford

Brentford FC's old Griffin Park ground famously had a pub on each corner. I believe at least one of the four is now closed, and the club moved to a new stadium several years ago - very close to the Express Tavern. And it's probably not too outrageous to claim that this place is better than any of the corner pubs by the old ground. It's a 'proper' multi-room pub with a solid beer offering.

All aboard the Express

Range of draught beers: Expect up to ten beers on cask and a similar number on keg. Though the range is skewed somewhat more 'mainstream' than most of the pubs in this contest, it's extensive enough that you're bound to find something you like. Harvey's Sussex Best and Draught Bass are regulars on cask, both of which have their diehard enthusiasts, while others will look to the guest ales, which might tickle more adventurous fancies! The keg range does include some macro-brewed standard stuff, but it's a rare-ish outlet for draught Czech Budvar, and you might find something interesting from, say, Polly's or Five Points on the taps. Overall it's probably worth 1.5 points. 

Quality of real ale: This is where I'm in a bit of a quandary. I've talked to a few people who absolutely swear by the cask here, and they might well be right, but those are the aforementioned fans of Bass, Harvey's, Landlord and other similar mainstream ales. When I've tried the guest ales they've been just OK, or maybe slightly above average. One pale ale from the Exeter brewery tasted like it should've been proper amazing but really wasn't - borne out by a re-sampling a couple of days later in a different pub. I can't quite go down the middle with zero points (the scale is from -3 to 3, remember) but it has to be a 0.5, from me, sadly.

Bonus points: Up to five real ciders, with their own dedicated section of bar. That's worth a point. And it's a lovely interior with plush seating and little nooks and crannies, which I like a lot. There's nothing I'd deduct points for, so overall it's 2 bonus points.

 

Hand & Marigold, Bermondsey

This year's competition concludes with a relative newcomer to the London beer scene. The Hand & Marigold only reopened in early 2025, having been closed for several years. Oli from the aforementioned Traf was instrumental in getting this place off the ground, and it's got off to a mightily impressive start in life. Fairly close to the 'Bermondsey Beer Mile' of taprooms and price-gouging, it makes sense to run a specialist alehouse in this kind of area, and it's already firmly on the map.

This really was a perfect pint

Range of draught beers: Four cask beers are usually available (though I'm told that has very recently increased to five) and for a smallish range, they cover all styles about as well as can be expected. On keg there are a few house standards (none of them boring, macro or otherwise undesirable) plus half a dozen guests, including overseas imports. Tap takeovers and themed beer events are planned as the pub cements its place on the beer map. Not the biggest range ever, but a damn good one. 2 points. 

Quality of real ale: Unbelievable. I'm not even joking. Probably the best pints of cask ale I've been served in London in the past year were two consecutive pints of different beers right here. So good, I went back for more of both. One was a 6% Black IPA, the other a session pale. Very different styles, but both in absolutely impeccable condition. It's rare for me to go down the 3 point route, but it's fully deserved here.

Bonus points: They know their stuff here, and the draught beer range is complemented by an excellent selection of bottles and cans, which earns a bonus point. The snack selection is also very decent, and you can actually talk to the staff about what sort of crisp will pair best with your beer, which is always a good sign. And they use Untappd to keep you informed of the current beer range, which is important for people like me who aren't local. So that's 3 bonus points without even really trying. I need to get to know this place better, and fully intend to. 

And so, there we have it. Five new contenders to compete against last year's finalists. Check back in a few days for the ultimate result. 

  

 

Where to find 'em...

 

Trafalgar
23 High Path
Merton
SW19 2JY (map)
website / CAMRA guide
********* 

 
Sutton Arms
16 Great Sutton Street,
Clerkenwell

EC1V 0DH (map)
no website / CAMRA guide
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River Ale House
131 Woolwich Road
Greenwich
SE10 URJ (map)
website / CAMRA guide
*********  

Express Tavern
56 Kew Bridge Road
Brentford
TW8 0EW (map)
website / CAMRA guide
*********  

Hand & Marigold
244 Bermondsey Street
Bermondsey
SE1 3UH (map)
website / CAMRA guide
*********