Culture

The Cabinet's Top 10 Pubs, near our Oxford Street studio

While the Oxford Street area may not be a renowned mecca for great pubs, if you know where to look there are a great selection to choose from. Hidden in plain site, here is our top 10 drinking holes for when we are gasping for a pint after a hard day...or half day's work. 

In no particular order, and with a short description of each, here's what made the cut...

1. The Grazing Goat: 6 New Quebec Street, W1H 7RQ

For a slightly more sophisticated pint, read a little on the expensive side, and a lovely bite to eat, try The Grazing Got. Located on New Quebec Street, Marylebone, this country house style pub offers a great range of beers and a selection of over 30 wines and champagnes by the glass. 

2. The Audley Public House: 41-43 Mount Street, W1K 2RX

A once pretty standard pub on London's most exclusive retail street The Audley has been given a make over from the gallerists Hauser & Wirth who also own The Fife Arms, The Groucho Club and others. Today, The Audley is a combination of historic interiors, modern art, great beer and some of the best food in the area.

3. Coach & Horses: 5 Bruton Place, W1J 6PT

Not to be confused by the other Coach & Horses in Mayfair, The original on Bruton Street is a narrow mock Tudor pub offering typical British comfort food, real ales on tap and a street where the people watching is second to none.

4. Bradley's Spanish Bar: 42-44 Hanway Street, W1T 1UT

This not-so hidden gem is a two-floored snug spot with an upbeat atmosphere and vinyl jukebox soundtrack close to Tottenham Court Road Station. A popular spot, that we suggest you visit during the day if you want to avoid the crowds and enjoy controlling what everybody gets to listen to.

5. The Jackalope: 43 Weymouth Mews, W1G 7EQ

Without a doubt the pub the The Cabinet frequents the most. Off the beaten track The Jackalope is a traditional wood-panelled pub with the added benefit and the greatest reason to visit being Liu Xiaomiam, serving London's best and most authentic Chinese noodles.

6. The Coach Makers Arms: 88 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2PZ

A 5-minute walk from our studio, The Coach Makers Arms in Marylebone not only serves great food in their upstairs restaurant but is also the ideal after work drink spot if you can drag yourself a little further down the road than The Spread Eagle (see number 11 on the list)!

7. The Guinea Grill: 30 Bruton Place, W1J 6NL

Another hidden gem on the list is tucked away on Bruton Place, The Guinea Grill specialise in serving dry aged, grass-fed Scotch beef steaks but if meat is not your thing thier beer on tap makes a visit well worth while.

8. The Golden Eagle: 59 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2NY

One of the few remaining old-style Marylebone pubs, family-run with a great selection of guest beers and fantastic Guinness, The Golden Eagle transports you back in time and we can't take any responsibility for you returning home late after a long impromptu session pitting the world to rights. 

9. The Running Horse: 50 Davies Street, W1K 5JE

The oldest public house and kitchen in Mayfair, The Running Horse has been through a number of refurbs since The Cabinet starting visiting but now with a neat upstairs dining room and a reputation for good beer and cocktails, it makes it onto our list.

10. The Punchbowl: 41 Farm Street, W1J 5RP

The Punchbowl is the closest thing this list has to a celebrity entry. Formerly owned by Guy Ritchie and Madonna, this Shepherds Market institution is good for beer but also serves a very good fish and chips, which comes at celebrity prices.

11. Spread Eagle: 8 Woodstock Street, W1C 2AD

An outlier and a place we wouldn't recommend you visit but as it is less than a stones throw from our studio we frequent it a fair bit. So for no other reason than this list would be inauthentic if we left it off the list, the sticky carpets and over priced mainstream beer might not be to everybodies taste.