Every riverside pub offers a view of London’s skyline, which is basically a crane convention with a few old buildings thrown in. At sunset, the Shard looks like a glass dagger stabbing clouds, and you’ll swear you’re in a romantic movie—until a seagull steals your chips.
8 Best Hammersmith Pubs on the River (2026) - CK Travels
The Samuel Pepys near London Bridge has a terrace so close to the water you can wave at tourists on the river bus. Pepys was a famous diarist who wrote about the Great Fire; this pub’s only diary entry would be “sold overpriced crisps to Germans.”
The Beer Garden Conspiracy
Here’s the secret: none of these pubs ever actually have a sunny day. London’s microclimate ensures it will drizzle the moment you sit outside. But that’s part of the charm—you bond with strangers over shared misery. “Warm pint?” “Aye, love, and warm rain.” You’re now friends for life.
If you want to avoid the drizzle, The Ship in Wandsworth has a covered terrace and a bouncer who looks like he’s arm-wrestled the river itself. Pro tip: don’t make eye contact unless you’re buying a round.
