Duke Of York

You walk in and immediately get it: this is a pub that's resisted the urge to become something it's not. The Duke Of York sits on a quiet stretch of Downham Road in Islington, serving the kind of no-nonsense drinks and atmosphere that's increasingly rare in North London. It's got that lived-in feel—sticky floors, actual character, the sort of place where regulars know the bar staff and tourists stumble in pleasantly surprised. The ratings speak for themselves; people come back because it's unpretentious, the drinks are proper, and there's something genuinely welcoming about the whole operation.