Nell Gwynne Tavern, Covent Garden

1-2 Bull Inn Court, Strand, London, WC2R 0NP

I recently visited the Adelphi Theatre on the Strand where I was lucky enough to watch Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton perform in Sweeney Todd. During the interval we managed to squeeze in a visit to the Nell Gwynne to knock back a quick glass of plonk.

I can't think of a more apt place to spend 15 minutes mid-way through a Victorian horror story. Located just outside the theatre's stage door, entering this alleyway pub really feels as if you've stepped back in time.

Sadly you're unlikely to get a seat in here most nights as it is absolutely tiny, but I'd very much recommend an interval visit if you are at the Adelphi - much more character (and cheaper!) than the theatre's own bars.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - Dimly lit and full of olde-worlde paraphernalia.
Secret rating: 5/10 - I must have walked past this alleyway hundreds of times over the years, but never spotted the Nell Gwynne. Sadly, plenty of others have done, and even on a Tuesday night it doesn't take much for this pub to fill up.
Best bits: If you do go here during an interval look out for people dressed in black - chances are they are stage hands or musicians from the Adelphi who have also popped in for a quick interval drink, which also explains why groups dressed in black tend to get served first during this brief window.
Worst bits: The lavatories are located down an incredibly steep and narrow staircase.

King Charles I, King's Cross

55-57 Northdown Street, King's Cross, N1 9BL

The King Charles I is a tiny one-room pub down a King's Cross back street, and although at first glance it might appear to be a traditional spit-and-sawdust boozer (nothing wrong with that!), upon closer inspection it's actually quite an eclectic place.

This is admittedly quite a lively pub, so although it isn't the place to come for a quiet drink, it's friendly and quirky and certainly worth checking out for a pint if you're in the area.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - it's all dark wood, little stools and random bits and bobs all over the place, with a huge fireplace at one end.
Secret rating: 7/10 - popular amongst local office workers, but completely off the tourist trail.
Best bits: More often than not there's a fun atmosphere in here with music courtesy of a jukebox in the corner. They serve a 7.1% ale called Brodie's Porter...
Worst bits: No food, but they are happy for you to order takeaway and bring it in. Might be tricky to get a seat on busier nights, and sometimes it closes for private functions. Oh, and tiny loos.

The Dacre Arms, Lewisham

11 Kingswood Place, Lee, SE13 5BU

I was on the lookout for an image of the Dacre Arms on Flickr for this post when I stumbled across the joyful photo above. These ladies are the Dacre Morris team, pictured in front of this lovely neighbourhood pub in south east London in 1983.

The team began in 1981, and they are still going strong today. Indeed, on one recent visit to the Dacre Arms they were dancing outside and drinking in the pub after their jangling exertions.

I think the happiness that radiates from this image is a good reflection of the pub itself. It's no nonsense, cash only and there are usually at least one or two dogs around - basically a very nice place to be.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - lots of snug booths, swirly carpets and hops around the bar, but it's the atmosphere that truly makes this place cosy.
Secret rating: 9/10 - buried deep in the backstreets of Lee / Blackheath / Lewisham and not very near any public transport.
Best bits: Regular guest beer and a telly for sport - but muted so conversations can continue. The beer garden is a bonus.
Worst bits: Not a great place for wine - they only have those mini bottles. No food. But both minor quibbles.

Image courtesy of George Plempler - thanks George, I adore this set.

The Mayflower, Rotherhithe

117 Rotherhithe Street, London, SE16 4NF

When a friend of mine heard that I'd started this blog she immediately recommended The Mayflower, which is - as I discovered on my first visit today - an incredibly pretty pub which clings to the bank of the River Thames in Rotherhithe. It's apparently the oldest pub on the river.

You can imagine coming here in the middle of winter to huddle around the fireplace whilst chomping on a big meaty pie (they normally have a couple of pies on the menu each day, and they look delicious).

That said, this pub is also fantastic for warm days - like today - when you can drink and eat on the pub's private wooden jetty out the back, and there are also seats out the front where you can watch the cyclists and runners whizz by. Upstairs there's a more formal dining area with a separate bar, which you can hire for functions.

Cosy rating: 9/10 - Even the glorious sunshine outside couldn't disguise the fact that this is one seriously cosy pub, with leaded windows, wooden benches and a big old fireplace.
Secret rating: 6/10 - despite its tucked away location it's a popular place. But you can book tables for food, many of which have stunning views of the river.
Best bits: The perfect pub whatever the weather. They also serve some of the best freshly-squeezed orange juice I've ever tasted.
Worst bits: The food prices are a little on the high side, but it's truly a cracking pub and I'm already planning my next visit.

Swan & Edgar, Marylebone

43 Linhope Street, Marylebone, NW1 6HL

Is it a pub? Is it a restaurant? Is it a library? Who knows, but Swan & Edgar is an absolute gem and fellow book lovers will salivate over this little place before you've even stepped through the door - just look at the frontage above!

I discovered S&E one sunny afternoon while my friend and I had some time to kill before catching a train from Marylebone. Determined to take her somewhere fabulous I whipped out the Qype app (they're not paying me, honest!) and up it popped in the middle of a residential road. Perfect.

Now I didn't sample the food on my visit, and it seems to have not gone down especially well with the critics, but I had a marvellous time sat outside on a sunny afternoon with a big glass of rose wine, gossiping with my friend. Inside is so small, but with books piled high all around you, pretty candles and friendly staff, it felt like I was inside a good novel that I didn't want to put down.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - candlelit at night with books piled high in the little room upstairs, which also has a fireplace for keeping the cold at bay.
Secret rating: 7/10 - I can't imagine you'd walk down this street, unless you were lucky enough to live there.
Best bits: Check out the scrabble tiled floor in the loos.
Worst bits: Ever so small, so do call ahead if you're making a special trip here.

The Crown, Islington

116 Cloudesley Road, Islington, N1 OEB

I nipped into The Crown in Islington for a quick drink after work last week. Yes, unbelievably that is sunshine you can see in the photo above!

The Crown is a Grade II listed Victorian gastropub with a varied food menu including your usual pub staples plus some nice-sounding specials and meat and cheese platters. It's worth noting that all Fullers pubs currently have a 20% off food offer until 26 July (Monday - Thursday only).

It's well off the beaten track so a good option if you want to escape the Islington throngs.

Cosy rating: 6/10 - I'm sure on a less sunny evening with the fireplace is roaring it would be very cosy indeed. Sofas in the back room towards the kitchen.
Secret rating: 7/10 - It's located on a beautiful Islington residential street - just do not make the mistake of whipping out your Rightmove app whilst you're there as it's too depressing!
Best bits: The homemade pork scratchings are definitely worth highlighting - you get a generous half-pint's worth and most were bigger than my longest finger. Mind those teeth!
Worst bits: The lovely central wooden bar means that the interior space isn't maximised, but it is a stunning original feature.

The Blythe Hill Tavern, Catford

Grab a squidgy stool and make yourself at home (photo courtesy of Neil  Muir / All Things Plants)

Whenever I go to the Blythe Hill Tavern I always have a really, really nice time. The first time I went there it was out of necessity, as it was the only place where we could kill 20 minutes (which turned into 40) when the curry house nearby double booked our table. I'm so glad they did - rather unassuming from the outside, the Blythe Hill Tavern is a charming and welcoming pub, and everything that a local drinking establishment should aspire to be.

And I'm not the only person who feels this way, if the fact that it this year won the CAMRA prize for south east London pub of the year is anything to go by.

It pleases me immensely that all the bartenders - who provide table service once your first drinks are nearing the end of their lives - proudly wear shirts and ties, and it's all too easy to while away a smiley evening in here with your bottomless drinks for company.

Cosy rating: 7/10 - three separate rooms, two of which have fireplaces and are distinctly cosier than the one without. My favourite is the room at the back.

Secret rating: 7/10 - popular with locals and lovers of well-kept, quality ale.

Best bits: Great place to watch the footie and other sports, with different rooms showing different events. Apparently there's a lovely beer garden, too, though I've yet to discover it.

Worst bits: No food as far as I know, so it's truly hard to say whether it's worth the trek to Catford if you live nowhere near this spirited little pub.

The Scarsdale Tavern, Kensington

Take off your hat and relax at the Scarsdale

Nestled on a corner of one of London's loveliest (private) squares, The Scarsdale Tavern is a picture perfect Fuller's pub, so much so that it featured on their 2010 TV adverts. Apparently it was also the local pub in the 1970s series The Professionals.

Despite its star-studded credentials, and being located just off Kensington High Street, the Scarsdale still manages to retain a kind of country pub atmosphere.

There's a little restaurant section at the back which is nice for a special occasion, but I'd recommend finding yourself your own softly lit corner in the main area and trying out some of their better-value bar food.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - fireplaces, candles and table lamps dotted all over the place. This is one seriously pretty pub.
Secret rating: 7/10 - feels like a world away from Kensington High Street, located on a leafy road which would certainly impress any visitors to London.
Best bits: You're unlikely to find a more attractive pub, both inside and outside.
Worst bits: Its terrace out the front - which blooms spectacularly in the summer - can get a little packed on sunny evenings.

The Nags Head, Knightsbridge

Note the hung up coats...!

Don't let the posh postcode (or lack of apostrophe) put you off, The Nags Head is a gem and is probably the one pub in the world that I fantasise about being my local. Sadly - unless my Lottery plan sees the light of day - I'll just have to make do with seeking it out every few months.

It is officially the cosiest pub I've ever been to. There, I said it. Roaring fireplaces? CHECK. Nooks and crannies? CHECK. Random paraphernalia filling every available square inch on the walls? CHECK.

Online reviews of the pub appear to be fiercely divided, especially when it comes to the food and service, but you can probably tell I'm firmly in the 'love' camp. If you're expecting fancy cuisine or a chair that doesn't wobble then this place isn't for you, but if you want to warm your cockles in a proper London free house, then look no further.

Cosy rating: 10/10 - just step inside and you'll see what I mean.
Secret rating: 7/10 - A gorgeous mews location. I've been there twice and both times got a seat with no problem, but never tried it on a Friday or Saturday night.
Best bit: The the first time I went there I witnessed an actual pub singalong, like off the telly. No piano, but led by a dapper-looking chap in his 70s who was very nifty with a pair of drumsticks and any surface he could find. Including our heads.
Worst bit: The pub has two strict rules. 1: You have to hang your coat up on one of the dozens of hooks dotted around. 2: Mobile phones are most definitely not allowed. I find these rules only add to the character, but I guess others might not agree.

The Pineapple pub, Kentish Town

One of many cosy spots at The Pineapple

I love the fact that there's a pub called The Pineapple, and I'm please to report that this backstreet boozer is as endearing as its name.

I've only been there once when I needed somewhere to kill a couple of hours before a gig, but after taking advantage of their reasonable Thai dinner for a tenner deal, polishing off some beverages, and having a bit of good-natured banter with the locals, I was well and truly enamoured with the place.

It's a difficult pub to pigeonhole - I'd describe it as a really good local with an urban twist - but I would urge you to seek it out if you're ever in the area as it's just so bloomin' nice.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - The kind of place where you deliberately walk the long way round to the loos just so you can have a nose at all the little booths and original features. I also spied fireplaces.
Secret rating: 8/10 -  You'd be unlikely stumble across it. It was busy, but not heaving, on a Friday night. 
Best bits: There's something for everyone here, including a fortnightly Pop Up Market for creative types, and a decent range of ales (it recently won the CAMRA North London Pub of the Year prize).
Worst bits: I honestly can't think of any. It's totally charming.

The Harp, Covent Garden

Upstairs at The Harp

One of my favourite pubs in central London, The Harp is a hugely popular (and award-winning) drinking establishment. But what I love most about it is the little room upstairs, which not many punters appear to know about (or they just prefer to prop up the bar downstairs).

Stepping into the upstairs seating area is a bit like stepping into your granny's living room, with its pale pink walls, quaint pictures and flowery curtains. It really is a fantastic cosy spot in what is normally such a heaving corner of the city, and the best thing is that it's not trying to be 'kitsch', it just is in the nicest possible way.

The Harp is well-known for its selection of real ales, but another top tip is to try their bargainous sausages - for about three quid you can buy a banger served in a fresh baguette and sizzled to perfection before your eyes behind the bar (but not on Fridays).

Cosy rating: 7/10 - on a recent visit I noticed that they've replaced some of the comfy chairs upstairs with stools in order to squeeze in more seats, but the window table is still there, from where you can spy on the Covent Garden swarms as if in your own front room.
Secret rating: 4/10 - everyone loves The Harp, but if you want to impress someone with your London 'knowledge', enter via the back entrance, accessible from what must be one of the city's narrowest alleyways.
Best bits: The super-speedy service behind the bar, no matter how busy they are.
Worst bits: Upstairs can get a little hot during the warmer months, and the loos are TINY.

The Lady Ottoline, Bloomsbury

Fine dining at the Lady Ottoline

I had been struggling for months to find the perfect venue for a special, cosy 30th birthday meal with my parents and closest friends. So when I was told about The Lady Ottoline gastropub on the edge of Bloomsbury I was chuffed to say the least. 

The Lady Ottoline opened within the last year ago having undergone an extensive refurbishment. It’s located down a quiet street, with a warm bar area downstairs, and two beautiful candlelit dining rooms upstairs. As a party of 10 we had to choose from the set menu, with a selection of four or five choices per course. My pork belly with black pudding croquettes was delicious, and with the majority of the party opting for juicy steaks (with the most incredible and mirror-esque steak knives I had ever seen) we were a very happy bunch.

Service is excellent and smiley, and a surprise birthday cake baked on site by the chef and delivered to our table topped off the evening perfectly.

The Lady Ottoline certainly isn’t the cheapest place to eat or drink, but if you want to go somewhere a bit special, to be charmed and spoiled by the excellent staff, and to relax in what has to be one of the most welcoming and enchanting gastro pubs in London, then I couldn’t recommend it more highly.

Cosy rating: 7/10 - Wonderful candlelit atmosphere and beautiful leather banquettes upstairs, but they'd need to be squidgier for a higher cosy rating...!

Secret rating: 6/10 - it's still relatively new, but is already hugely popular with local office workers, most of whom appear to work for local law firms. Sometimes hard to get a seat downstairs, booking recommended for upstairs.

Best bits: The service is top drawer. 

Worst bits: A little on the pricey side.

The Pelton Arms, Greenwich

The Pelton Arms

Greenwich isn't short on pubs, let's be honest, but frequently they can be teeming with tourists. To get away from the crowds, try The Pelton Arms along the river in the east of Greenwich - a gorgeous local pub serving comforting food at decent prices, with squidgy sofas, lovely fireplaces, a wide range of ales and wines and some great pub games.

Getting there is easy, just a stroll along the river past the Trafalgar Tavern and the Cutty Sark Tavern (also both good Greenwich pub options, just not as cosy). Or, if you're feeling lazy or the weather isn't conducive to a riverside wander, just get the train to Maze Hill instead.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - some lovely fireside chairs.
Secret rating: 7/10 - it's just that little bit further out of Greenwich and off the river that most people wouldn't know it's there, but it's popular among locals so worth booking for Sunday lunch. 
Best bits: Reasonably-priced home-cooked food, friendly service and warm atmosphere
Worst bits: I've heard it's not dog-friendly, but happy to be corrected. No river view unlike other aforementioned pubs, but that's why they're so much busier.