The Blue Anchor

You're walking down Lower Mall and suddenly you've got water on one side, Georgian terraces on the other, and The Blue Anchor tucked in between like it's been waiting for you. This is the kind of pub that doesn't need to try too hard—wooden beams, low ceilings, locals nursing pints they've been ordering for years. The real pull is the riverside terrace, where you can actually see the Thames without fighting through a chain restaurant's reservations system. Inside it's intimate and a bit ramshackle in the best way; outside, especially on decent weather, it's properly lively without feeling forced.