Ma Egerton's Stage Door

You'll find this proper Victorian boozer tucked behind the theatres, where the burgundy velvet and dark wood make you feel like you've wandered onto a period drama set. The walls are plastered with theatrical memorabilia and old photos of long-dead actors, creating the kind of atmosphere where you half-expect Oscar Wilde to materialise at the bar. The celebrity-themed pizzas are brilliantly daft – think 'Whitney Houston' and 'Freddie Mercury' – and they're surprisingly decent for pub grub. But you're really here for the pints and the stories. The regulars will bend your ear about the resident ghost (apparently she's partial to moving glasses around), while the bar staff know their way around both a proper pint and the building's theatrical history.