The Best Bars in Islington and Angel

Twenty taps, all of them considered, none of them wasted on macro lager. The Islington Tap rotates its keg lines weekly, with a standing commitment to small UK breweries and the better Belgian and German imports. The room is unfussy — bare brick, long benches, natural light through the front windows — which is exactly the right setting for taking beer seriously without making a performance of it.

Order: Ask what just changed on the keg taps — they are always ready with a recommendation

Brewhouse and Kitchen brews everything served on site, which keeps the range tight and the quality consistent. The Islington branch has a particularly good pale ale programme and a seasonal IPA that changes quarterly. The space is larger than it looks from the street — rear tables are quieter, good for groups who want to drink well and actually talk. Brewery experience days are a worthwhile way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Order: Seasonal IPA — brewed on the premises

The Wenlock Arms is the sort of pub that makes you grateful London still has places like this. Cask ales only, no cocktails, no food beyond crisps, no screens. The landlord knows his regulars by first name. It survived a threatened closure in 2012 through a community campaign, and has not changed its approach since. Eight handpumps, all of them earning their place.

Order: Whatever's freshest on cask — ask before you point

Rotary is a compact cocktail bar just off the Angel junction that does not try to be anything other than what it is: a serious drinks menu in a warm, low-lit room. The list is structured around spirit families with good depth in the rum and agave sections. The bar team is confident and unhurried, which is more valuable than any other quality in a small cocktail bar. Arrive at 7pm to get a seat without reserving.

Order: The mezcal Negroni variation — their most consistent drink

Bar Pepito is one of the few dedicated sherry bars in London and it does the job better than anywhere else in the city. The selection spans the full range from bone-dry Fino to the richest Pedro Ximenez, with a knowledgeable staff who will walk you through the differences without condescending. Small plates — jambon, manchego, marinated olives — complete the picture. The setting is a converted stable and seats about thirty people, maximum.

Order: Aged Amontillado — a genuine education in the category

The Lexington runs two rooms simultaneously: the ground floor bar with an excellent American whisky selection, and the basement live music venue that has hosted acts you will be glad you saw before they became expensive to see. The whisky list is the best excuse to arrive early — over one hundred bourbons and ryes, annotated thoughtfully. The American dive bar aesthetic is played straight rather than ironically, which makes all the difference.

Order: High-proof single barrel bourbon — the selection here makes it worth the premium

George Orwell drank here, which is either a recommendation or a warning depending on your view of pubs. The Compton Arms is a small Victorian pub with a well-tended garden and a sense of enclosure that keeps the outside world at a manageable distance. Greene King ales on draught, a regularly changing guest pump, and enough history in the room that the conversation tends to be better than average.

Order: Guest cask ale of the week

Tony Conigliaro's miniature cocktail bar has been a benchmark for neighbourhood drinking since it opened. The space holds sixteen people and rarely feels empty — mostly because the cocktail list is genuinely special, built around distillates, ferments, and combinations that reward careful attention. This is not a bar for those who want to shout over music. It is for two people who want to drink something interesting and actually hear each other.

Order: Whatever the bartender recommends after asking what you have drunk before

Technically more noodle bar than cocktail destination, but Salvation in Noodles earns its place here for the concise drinks list — specifically the sake selection and the house cocktails built around Asian spirits. Shochu sours, yuzu highballs, sake by the flask. The room is tight and the queues real on weekend evenings, but the combination of good food and considered drinks makes it worth the wait.

Order: Yuzu Highball or house shochu sour

The Earl of Essex is a gastro-pub that prioritises the pub half of that compound more than most. The beer programme is built around London breweries — Beavertown, Hackney Brewery, and Kernel all appear regularly — with a small but well-chosen selection of guest kegs from further afield. The food is honest and generous. On weekday evenings, it is exactly the kind of place you want within walking distance of where you live.

Order: London-brewed pale ale on keg — whatever is freshest