Where to find the best Guinness in London

Sael may be Jason Atherton's slightly fancy St James's dining room, but here you'll also find a perfectly poured Guinness at an unusually friendly price (less than a fiver when this guide was written). It's poured cold, frothy on top, and surprisingly good for somewhere better known for its cocktails and Sunday roasts. The bar draws a mix of locals and Soho after-workers who appreciate good drinks. If you want a pint of Guinness in a place that looks fancy but feels relaxed, this is the one.

If London has a spiritual home for Guinness, this is it. The Toucan pours pint after pint through lines that get more use than most pubs manage in a week, meaning the stout is always fresh, cold, and frothy. The tiny, memorabilia-plastered space fills fast, and the crowd often spills out onto the pavement. Whether you're a Guinness obsessive or just like one every once in a while, this is a rite-of-passage pint.

The Gunmakers isn't the most obvious Guinness destination, but step inside the deep-blue, tile-filled pub and you'll find one of Marylebone's most reliable pints. It's quieter than the neighbourhood's big-name pubs, which means your pour gets the attention it deserves, properly settled, properly cold. The tropical cocktails and mezcal mixes are fun, but Guinness drinkers will appreciate the stout here. The covered garden adds a nice touch.

The Devonshire has quickly earned a reputation for pouring one of the cleanest, creamiest pints in central London, no surprise given landlord Oisín Rogers' near-religious devotion to perfect Guinness. The ground-floor bar is all about pints done properly, pulled through spotless lines and settled with care, while the upstairs restaurant handles the wood-ember grilling and serious steaks. The vibe is all old-school Mayfair pub energy with a modern finish.

This Waterloo landmark is best known for its old-school vibe and massive beer selection, but tucked among the cask ales is a consistently solid Guinness. Served in an old railway-arch pub that feels stuck in time, a pint here hits the spot whether you're killing time between trains or settling in with the locals. It's laid-back, slightly chaotic in peak hours, and exactly the kind of place where Guinness tastes as it should.

Daffodil Mulligan is Irish at heart and Shoreditch in energy, which means the Guinness is taken seriously, but the room still feels lively and a bit wild. Between the charcoal meats and the bustling vibe, a pint here goes down very easily. It's a good spot for a well-kept pint alongside dishes from the open grill, and the quality stays consistent even when the place gets busy. If you're after a solid Guinness in this part of town, it's an easy option.

This Chelsea bolthole quietly pours one of the most delicious pints of Guinness in West London. The pub's cosy countryside-inn feel makes it ideal for settling in with a creamy stout, and the quality stays consistent even on heaving weekends. The crowd is more local, the lighting is mellow, and the Guinness is well-kept and poured with care. It's less rowdy Irish bar, more refined Chelsea institution where you can actually sip your pint in peace.

This Mayfair pub is small, traditional, and low-key, making it a pleasant place to settle in for a well-poured Guinness. The bar has three dedicated stout taps, and pints are served in old-school glasses with a proper, slow-settling head. The quality is consistently high, and the atmosphere stays calm even during busier hours. Oysters and classic pub dishes are available if you want something alongside your pint, and the quiet alleyway location adds to the appeal of stopping by for a pint of Guinness.

The Auld Shillelagh in Stoke Newington is often cited as one of the most authentic Irish pubs outside Ireland, so it's no surprise they take their Guinness seriously. The team take real care with their pour, and the quality is consistently high. The pub stretches back further than you'd expect, opening into a rear beer garden, and there's usually a mix of live music and sport on the screens. It's a lively, welcoming spot with a trusty pint, making it a go-to for anyone after a proper Irish pub atmosphere in London.

Guinness choosing Covent Garden for its London HQ feels like a true sign of the city's current stout obsession. This huge microbrewery and visitor space mixes education, entertainment, and proper pints under one roof. You can tour the production setup, try limited-edition brews you won't find anywhere else, or head to the open-fire restaurant for a proper meal before finishing with a pint in the rooftop bar. It even doubles as a training hub for Guinness's Learning for Life hospitality programme.