The Bolingbroke

You'll find yourself on one of Battersea's liveliest strips, where The Bolingbroke sits comfortably amongst the independent shops and restaurants. This is the kind of place where the bartender knows regulars by name and the crowd's a genuine mix—not trying too hard, just proper good. The food's reliably good (think elevated pub classics that don't pretend to be something they're not), the beer selection takes itself seriously without being pretentious, and there's usually enough going on that you'll feel the energy without it being a maze of bodies. It's the pub you'd want on your street.