"A pub can be a magical place" -- actor Rhys Ifans

It was Friday afternoon and Matt was at school. He texted to say our friends Bob and Simon were getting together that night at the Jackalope Pub in Marylebone, and asked if we should go.

"Sure," I replied immediately. "I’d love to see them."

I took a train from our village five stops and then switched to the Tube up to Oxford Circus. It was just a 15-minute walk from there to the Jackalope, a charming old pub with a new name and all the character you would want. It was quite busy that night and the crowd spilled out into the cobblestoned mews, where stables have been converted into homes selling for over $2 million. 

Sipping a nice decaf coffee and Irish cream at the Brown Dog.

When we first arrived in England for our 2-year stay, we had a goal of hitting as many pubs in London as possible. We even bought a book to assist us. We  search out the more unique ones like where Shakespeare drank, most haunted, oldest and hidden ones.

We love the pubs here. They are so...British. Much different from bars in the U.S., which is odd since British founders of the colonies there opened many taverns. Some still exist. A good clue you're in one is if you have to stoop to enter the door. 

The Brown Dog is the closest pub to our flat.

Here, a pub is the center of the village or, in London, the center of a neighborhood. The U.S. obviously has plenty of bars, but they don't allow children or dogs. Not so here. Reiver is welcomed with treats and a bowl of water often before our order is taken. The legal drinking age is 18 and most pubs close by 11 p.m.

Cheers came close to a British pub feel, but was a TV show. It’s a bit fancier than we prefer, but taking time out from your busy day to just socialize with people and not a phone/computer is reminiscent of the pub culture of England. And I love it.

The Red Lion Pub in our village. We   
had a nice dinner there Christmas Eve.

Sometimes you want to go

Where everyone knows your name

And they’re always glad you came

You want to be where you can see

Troubles are all the same

You want to be where everyone knows your name

Fans of the TV show "Ted Lasso" might recognize
Princes Head Pub in Richmond near our village.   

Londoners mostly walk to the bus, train, Tube after work and there’s always a pub close by each end of their journey. Pubs are where you meet up with folks from work, friends in the neighborhood, watch a “footie” game, get out of the heat or cold. 

Back in the day, the neighborhood pub was where you got your local news. If you’re meeting friends for dinner, to go to the theater or to see live music, you almost always first meet at a nearby pub to share a pint together. The alcohol content of most beers here is lower than ours and, to date, I’ve never seen anyone drunk at a pub. If an American went to a bar as often as British go to pubs, we might think they have a drinking problem.  

The Coach & Horses on Barnes High Street.                             

Almost all pubs serve food. Some are “gastro” pubs with fancier foods and higher pricing. Every pub serves fish and chips and the ubiquitous hamburger.

We prefer the oldest pubs. We live just over a hundred yards from The Brown Dog Pub in Barnes. While the exterior is bland, the inside exudes warmth, and not just because of the fire going in winter months and gas heaters on the patio.

We had Christmas dinner at The Ship Pub in Wandsworth.       

A few days ago we went for a proper British roast dinner, a Sunday afternoon tradition. They were fully booked but said they would squeeze us in if we came early. We sat next to the coal-burning fireplace at an old wooden table that was heavily scarred. The chairs were from an old school and had holders on the back for books. I’ve seen these chairs in antique stores.  

The food was excellent. Matt had beef roast and I had pork. We felt like we were being served by friends. The menu is the same at every pub Sunday afternoon:  roast meat, vegetables (usually cabbage, carrots, green beans and root vegetables), roasted potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Vegetarian "roast" options are available at some pubs. As in other places around Europe, there’s no pressure to eat and pay to make way for other customers. You always have to ask for your “ticket" (the bill). 

We especially enjoy the pubs with snugs, private tables that seat 2-6 people in a private walled area with a door. One of our favorite pubs, the Barley Mow in Marylebone, has two snugs that abut the bar so ordering another pint is easy. Genius.

Sadly, the number of pubs is declining. Thousands of pubs have closed in the past 20 years, but visitors probably couldn't tell since there are still so many. Certainly in large cities. Our flat is one of two in a converted former pub.

We enjoyed our Friday visit to the Jackalope, where we made plans to meet up with a larger group Tuesday for lunch followed by a visit to a pub (and neighborhood) that was new to us, but 250 years old.

Enjoy the pub photos knowing we will continue our quest to go to every pub in London. Let's end with a video of this "hidden" pub, Ye Olde Mitre, in the Hatton Garden jewelry district in Central London's Holborn district. You may recognize someone at the end.