The Barley Mow Pub Mayfair

You'll find yourself in one of Mayfair's rare pockets where pretension hasn't completely taken over. The Barley Mow sits on Duke Street like it's been there forever—wood panelling, proper lighting, the kind of place where regulars actually exist. It's the sort of pub you'd stumble into if you were meeting someone nearby and suddenly realise you've wandered into somewhere genuinely good. The crowd's mixed: locals from the neighbourhood, people who work in the offices round about, tourists who've accidentally stumbled off the Bond Street tourist trail. The beer selection is solid, the food uncomplicated but done right, and there's none of that forced 'gastropub theatre' that makes you feel like you're paying £8 for a scotch egg because of the plating.