3 Best Bars in Richmond, London

Read the list of famous ex-regulars, from Charles II and Nell Gwyn to Ernest Hemingway and Dylan Thomas, as you wait for a beer at this smart, comely, and popular 16th-century Thames riverside pub on the Upper Mall towpath in Hammersmith. If—as is often the case—The Dove is too full, stroll upstream along the bank to The Old Ship or The Blue Anchor.

In a bucolic spot on the edge of the wide expanse of Richmond Green, The Prince's Head is every bit the charming London boozer. Part of the Fuller's chain that has outposts all over the city, the pub is comfortingly familiar with its traditional wood-paneled interior and pub grub food menu. Two elements set the pub apart: first, there's the outside terrace, which seamlessly blends into the street, making it a prime spot to soak up the neighborhood buzz during warmer months. Second, there is the pub's supporting role in the hit TV show Ted Lasso, where it plays Ted's local pub (The Crown and Anchor in the show), turning it into a worthy pilgrimage for fans of the show and the fictional A.F.C. Richmond. 

Perched on top of Richmond Hill, The Roebuck has perhaps the best view of any pub in London. The most sought-after seats are the benches found directly across the road, which look out over the Thames as it winds its way into the countryside below. Friendly and surprisingly unpretentious, given its lofty surrounds, it is well worth the long climb up the hill from the center of Richmond.