The Marquis Cornwallis

You'll find The Marquis Cornwallis tucked into Marchmont Street in Bloomsbury, the kind of pub that feels like it's been pulling pints in the same spot for decades (because it basically has). Walk in and you're greeted with dark wood, proper ale taps, and the sort of crowd that includes everyone from UCL students to architects who've been coming here since they were students themselves. The food's the real draw though—proper gastro-pub fare that doesn't try too hard, done well and reasonably priced. It's the sort of place where you can sink a decent bitter and actually hear your mates talk, which in central London, frankly, feels like a luxury.