Bensoir! It's me, Benjamin. I like to eat and drink. And cook. And write.

You may have read stuff I've written elsewhere, but here on my own blog as Ben Viveur I'm liberated from the editorial shackles of others, so pretty much anything goes.

BV is about enjoying real food and drink in the real world. I showcase recipes that taste awesome, but which can be created by mere mortals without the need for tons of specialist equipment and a doctorate in food science. And as a critic I tend to review relaxed establishments that you might visit on a whim without having to sell your first-born, rather than hugely expensive restaurants and style bars in the middle of nowhere with a velvet rope barrier, a stringent dress code and a six-month waiting list!

There's plenty of robust opinion, commentary on the world of food and drink, and lots of swearing, so look away now if you're easily offended. Otherwise, tuck your bib in, fill your glass and turbo-charge your tastebuds. We're going for a ride... Ben Appetit!

London Pub of the Year

So, which is the best damn pub in London? And how much drinking does it take to find out?

Every year, BV tirelessly, dutifully and dedicationtastically embarks on a quest to answer this question. And every Summer, I then give the winners a fantastic trophy to keep for next 12 months. One of the highlights of the year.

There are a couple of rules: each year I revisit the previous years top five, while the bottom five are ineligible for one year - that keeps things fresh. And the 'new' five have to be from five different chains/companies so we don't get too much dominance. 

Pubs are assessed on:
Range of Draught Beers available (scored from 0 to 3)
Quality of the Cask beer (scored from -3 to 3)
Bonus points can be awarded or deducted for anything that makes the pub good or bad. E.g if they hold regular beer festivals they might gain a point, but if the food is horrible and the toilets stinky they might lose two points, resulting in a net -1 change to their overall score. The maximum 'bonus' score range is -3 to 3.

(Some these rules have been tweaked over the years, and may have been applied differently in earlier contests.)

2022-2023

  • Part One - Kentish Belle, Hope, Southampton Arms, Rake, Golden Ark
  • Part Two - Harp, Craft Clerkenwell, Sutton Arms, Sultan, Star & Garter
  • The Results
     

2021-2022

2019-2021

  • Due to Lockdown, a 'special award' was made to the Kentish Belle for these two years.

2018-2019

  • Part One - Antelope, Craft Covent Garden, Hope, Craft Clerkenwell, Euston Tap(s)
  • Part Two - Albion, Cask, Kentish Belle, Railway, One Inn The Wood
  • The Results


2017-2018

  • Part One - Hope, Craft Covent Garden, Craft Clerkenwell, Euston Tap(s), Pelt Trader
  • Part Two  - Cock Tavern, Antelope, Four Thieves, Green Dragon, Southwark Tavern
  • The Results 

2016-2017

  • Part One - Craft Clerkenwell, Craft Covent Garden, Craft Clapham, Pelt Trader, Tap East
  • Part Two - Euston Tap(s), Wenlock Arms, Hope, Rake, Cask
  • The Results

2015-2016

  • Part One - Craft Clerkenwell, Craft Covent Garden, Craft Clapham, Royal Albert, Pelt Trader
  • Part Two - Cock Tavern, Tap East, Draft House, White Hart, Three Johns
  • The Results

2014-2015

  • Part One - Craft Clerkenwell, Craft Clapham, Rake, Catford Constitutional, Craft Islington
  • Part Two - Crown & Anchor, Royal Albert, Craft Covent Garden, Pelt Trader, Bull
  • The Results

2013-2014

2012-2013

  • Part One - Craft Clerkenwell, Harp, Catford Bridge, Southampton Arms, Euston Tap
  • Part Two - Ravensbourne, Craft Islington, Sebright Arms, Falcon, Pembury Tavern
  • The Results


2011-2012

1 comment:

  1. Thank You For Your Great Article!!
    If you are looking for Best pub Shoreditch, London, come to the horns, we offer live sports events, shows with full sky and BT packages.

    ReplyDelete

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