Bankside, London. Dates back to 1616 when it was the brewery tap room for the Anchor Brewery, built on the site of an earlier inn named the Castell on the Hoop which dates back 800 years. The pub is the sole survivor of the riverside inns that existed in Shakespeare's time, and it was frequented by many actors from local theatres such as the Globe, the Swan, and the Rose. Diarist Samuel Pepsys watched the Great Fire of London (1666) from the pub, and dictionary supremo Dr. Samuel Johnson used to pop in for a pint when he wasn't thinking on new words. Later it was the haunt of pirates and smugglers and when repairs were carried out in the 19th century a wealth of ingenious hiding places for stolen goods and contraband where discovered.

A brick building with red trim welcomes you to an interior loaded with dark wood and brick walls. There are several bars to choose from over the three floors and a multitude of nooks, cubby holes, mezzanines, galleries , and of course areas around the bars. Outside there is a large beer garden down by the Thames and a terrace up on the third floor. A Greene King pub, their IPA was my go to and I moved around the pub to soak in as much of it as I could, ending up out on the terrace overlooking the Thames. This pub is another must if you visit London!