Golden Lion

You're on Dean Street in the heart of Soho, stepping into the kind of pub that's been pulling pints in this neighbourhood for years without trying too hard. The Golden Lion feels lived-in rather than designed—dark wood, proper bar stools, the sort of place where locals actually drink alongside the tourists who've wandered off the main drag. It's a Greene King operation, which means the beer selection is reliable rather than adventurous, but that's rather the point. You come here for straightforward drinking, solid pub food that won't disappoint, and the feeling that you're in an actual Soho rather than a postcard version of it.