From dimly-lit sports bars to colossal drinking halls to big-screened pub gardens, London provides every type of venue for rugby fans to watch the Six Nations. Here are some of our favourite spots to watch the Six Nations in the capital:
Defectors Weld – Shepherd’s Bush
170 Uxbridge Rd, Shepherd's Bush, W12 8AA
Meet the newest edition to London's pub map.
Freshly refurbished and sparkling clean, the Youngs-owned Defectors Weld welcomes rugby fans for a warm and convivial viewing. Vintage interiors, a ‘uge drinks list, and one of the biggest outdoor/indoor smoking areas I’ve seen in London makes for an ideal day out for the rugby.
See their website here
The Albany – Fitzrovia
240 Great Portland St, W1W 5QU
A classy spot on the corner round from Great Portland Street station, The Albany boasts a classic pub menu, eclectic taps, and screens abound.
If slightly above average pint prices don't deter you, then you're more than able to enjoy this welcoming, well-stocked howff in a prime location.
See their website here
Nordic Bar - Fitzrovia
25 Newman Street, W1T 1PN
One of the cooler places to impress your out-of-towner mates, Nordic Bar combines Scandinavisk, Arcade, and traditional sports bar into one sleek package, with screens all over the shop and enough neon to make a Hong Konger blush.
The menu, which inverts pub classics with a Scandi twist, including Britain's favourite Swedish meatballs and mash, is another string to their already massive bow.
See their website here
Vinegar Yard – London Bridge
72-82 St Thomas St, SE1 3QU
Ideal for big groups, Vinegar Yard boasts an absolutely massive outdoor screen that can accommodate just about anyone’s sightline.
A multi-purpose venue, hosting street food stands and a flea market on weekends, it now has been taken over by rugby punters for the remainder of the Six Nations. Just be sure to book tickets if you’re watching the England games.
See their website here
The Woolpack - Bermondsey
98 Bermondsey Street, London Bridge, SE1 3UB
Boasting one of the bigger pub gardens in Zone 1, Bermondsey's Woolpack has delightfully decked out their garden with massive screens for the Six Nations.
Often busy, you'd be lucky to find a seat during big games, where the outdoor area becomes something of a stand, so be sure to book. Plus, the menu is highly rated, earning an accreditation from the Sustainable Restaurant Organisation.
See their website here
Flat Iron Square - Southwark
45-47 Southwark Street, London SE1 9HP
If you're bringing a group large enough to make a pub bartender cry, I'd seriously consider an open, courtyard-esque vibe like the one Flat Iron Square offers (not to be confused with the steak restaurant chain that crucially does not show the rugby).
Bars dotted in every sightline, an all-day menu with table service to keep you alive, and seats galore, Flat Iron Square is a winner for most big events, but particularly the Six Nations, where the pub atmosphere goes outdoors. Despite the wide open layout, definitely definitely book to avoid inevitable disappointment.
See their website here
Peckham Levels - Rye Lane
95A Rye Lane, London SE15 4ST
A disued carpark transformed into numerous multi-purpose venues, Peckham Level has the perfect spot for Six Nations on the sixth floor, with 5 massive screens across the massive bar and food hall.
Anticipating group bookings, they also offer a deal for groups of 6 to 8 people that allows two free pints of choice per person (!), and an assortment of classic bar snacks. What a way to impress your out-of-towner friends.
See their website here
Bat and Ball – Stratford
Unit 1110/11 Westfield Centre, Stratford City, Olympic Park, Montfichet Rd, E20 1EJ
On the theme of big groups, Bat and Ball's massive hall will leave you space for all your rugby family. A screen facing every direction, coupled with a highly modern and sleek interior, there’s a reason it’s self-described as the Mecca of Live Sport.
See their website here
Pub on the Park - London Fields
19 Martello Street, London E8 3PE
The aptly named Pub on the Park - for its location right on London Fields - has long been the sporting pub of choice, for World Cups, Euros and the rest of it, owing to their roster of great views.
For tag-along's uninterested in rugby, you have full view of the bounteous green of London Fields. For the meatheads, you've got seven screens, showing numerous games at the same time so you don't miss any action. It may not be the weather for it, but their gazebo's will keep you dry.
See their website here
The Cornershop – Shoreditch
123 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JE
A lounge bar that’s a far cry from the usual British boozers, The Cornershop’s low ceilings and club-like décor make for an intimate viewing experience.
Expect a noisy affair that’ll make you regret not wearing wellies, as punters compete for space around the eight screens around the joint. It also turns into a club in the later hours, if you last it that long.
See their website here
Faltering Fullback - Finsbury Park
19 Perth Road, London N4 3HB
It would be hard to make any rugby-related pub list without mentioning the Faltering Fullback. A stellar rugby pub year-round, the traditional decor is maximalised by rugby adornments, most of which Irish, as well as other strange, hanging features like bicycles and guitars draped from the ceiling.
The impressively green, almost overgrown facade is matched by a bounteous pub garden that feels like a different world unto itself. Very easy to get comfy, unless of course you're wearing an England shirt.
See their website here
The White Lion - Stroud Green
125-127 Stroud Green Rd, London N4 3PX
A North London staple, the contemporary White Lion is well regarded for its amicable atmosphere, its Sunday roasts, and a competition-beating beer garden.
For Six Nations, the screens come alive, with five HD tellys dotted around to meet the eyes of every punter. A stellar choice, Six Nations or otherwise.
See their website here
Whelan’s – Kingston
20 Richmond Rd, Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 5EB
A Neuveux Irish pub just past the Kingston railbridge, it looks unremarkable from the outside, before you step in and find screens on almost every wall, including the smoking area with two screens, as well as an Irish-Mexican menu that they somehow pull off.
Great for watching sport the year round, they also have live music in the form of Irish folk nights midweek. Banger of a spot. Just don’t be obnoxiously English; it’s an Irish pub afterall.
See their website here