The Thomas Guy Club, London Bridge

Plenty more spots like these around every corner

My brother had been going on for ages about how great the Thomas Guy Club bar was on the Kings College campus, just round the corner from London Bridge, but I hadn't been there until tonight. Well, I can honestly say that I am now well and truly enamoured with this place.

Located in a vaulted basement, the bar has tons of seats, and also has a pool table, a telly room, a 'library' and a separate dining area (with loads of really cheap food options - £6.50 for a homemade burger for example).

Now, my brother works for the NHS, which is how he found out about it, but as far as I can make out anyone is allowed in here - you don't have to show any NHS / student ID to get in and it's accessible from Borough High St, but if anyone knows otherwise do feel free to correct me.

Cosy rating: 7/10 - loads of armchairs, sofas, beanbags, corners and bare bricks. Lower lighting would up the rating.

Secret rating: 11/10 - is this actually London's most undiscovered bar? No web presence whatsoever (other than the link above), it was 95% empty on a Thursday night.

Best bits: It's truly labyrinthine in here with loads of bare-bricked rooms, and you really have to make an effort to seek out where to buy a drink.

Worst bits: Very hard to find, so here are some directions: Upon leaving London Bridge station turn left onto Borough High Street. Go down the first alleyway on the left (it's the alleyway where the Old Kings Head pub is). Walk past the pub and directly in front of you is a doorway, which should have a sandwich board outside. Go down the stairs and you've arrived!

Cafe Eterno, Covent Garden

Divine milkshake at Cafe Eterno

At first glance Cafe Eterno appears to be just like any other nice, cute independent cafe in central London, but it's only when you've settled down with your bottomless cup of coffee and start to take in your surroundings that you sense there's just something.....different about the place.

When you discover that the cafe is in fact run by the London City Mission (a Christian charity), the vibrant wall murals, eclectic range of customers and even the name of the cafe itself make a lot more sense.

Religion not your thing? Don't let this put you off - Cafe Eterno provides a friendly escape from the West End crowds outside, and their Christian credentials aren't enforced upon their customers. Settle down on one of their sofas with a book, enjoy the great value food and hot drinks, and appreciate this little slice of tranquil simplicity in the heart of the capital.

Cosy rating: 6/10 - probably the least pretentious cafe you're likely to find in this cobbled corner of Covent Garden.

Secret rating: 4/10 - it gets a fair amount of footfall, but it's likely that many of its customers aren't aware of the cafe's spiritual background.

Best bits: Bottomless cup of coffee for £1.70, really friendly staff (some of whom are volunteers), and awesome, indulgent milkshakes.

Worst bits: The Christian leaflets dotted around may not be to everyone's taste.

Albertine wine bar, Shepherds Bush

Perfect lighting at The Albertine wine bar (photo courtesy of Ming Tang-Evans)

I found the Albertine wine bar one nippy evening when I was searching for somewhere for a drink and a bite to eat before a gig nearby. It was the glowing reviews on the fantastic Qype app that encouraged me to step into what did indeed look like a very enchanting wine bar from the outside. 

It was everything I could have hoped for - low lighting, candles aplenty, wooden tables and a great wine and food menu.

It was the perfect start to a special evening, which somehow descended into drinking a pint of wine from a plastic glass (don't ask, it made sense at the time...!). I'm only sad that I'm rarely in this part of town, so I haven't been back since.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - candlelit tables just do it for me, and it was also lovely and warm.

Secret rating: 6/10 - think it's quite popular with BBC employees, as their office is just down the road, but they'll be gone in the not too distant future when they move to their new offices.

Best bits: The neighbourhood vibe and great sharing platters.

Worst bits: Not many small tables, so smaller groups may have to share a larger one with strangers (but this is a very minor criticism, it's actually quite nice being squished in, adds to the atmosphere).

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.