Captain Kidd

You're walking along Wapping High Street and suddenly the Thames opens up before you—the Captain Kidd sits right on the water's edge, and that's half the appeal. It's the kind of proper London pub that's been around since 1588, all dark wood and maritime memorabilia, without trying too hard to be Instagram-famous. The crowd's mixed: locals nursing pints of real ale, tourists who've stumbled upon something genuine, groups spilling onto the terrace when the weather's decent. The real draw is the location and the fact it actually feels like a proper pub—good beer, solid pub grub, and views across the river that cost you nothing.