The Churchill Arms, Kensington

Walk down Kensington Church Street and you'll spot it immediately—the Churchill Arms is basically a living postcard, all climbing wisteria and flower boxes that make you want to Instagram it despite yourself. Inside, it's proper old-school pub: worn wood, sticky carpets in the best way, locals at the bar who've been coming here since the 90s. The draw? They've somehow pulled off the unlikely combo of serving genuinely good Thai food alongside proper cask ales. The kitchen takes it seriously—pad thai that doesn't taste like a afterthought, green curries with proper heat—but the whole place never loses that unpretentious, come-as-you-are vibe that makes Kensington almost bearable.