The Magdala, NW3

The right hand room on entering is where most drinkers congregate, and has a more "pubby" feel than the bare boarded open area next door where the food servery is located. The bar has wood panelled walls, decent seating at solid square and rectangular tables, although there is one sofa at the end of the room. There is a piano in the room too, and a TV on the wall which was switched off. A rather attractive marble or perhaps alabaster fireplace sits in the middle of the room. The large leaded windows have those stained glass green bands with amber corner inserts that I've noticed in many pubs, I've a feeling it may be an old Charrington's feature. Three handpumps, Pride, GK IPA and guest Woodforde's Nog. Several beer mats over the bar back suggest a decent rotation policy for the third beer. There are a few board games to borrow stored behind the bar. They also had stocks of London Drinker. Handy for Hampstead Heath station.

Quite a traditional looking establishment - although apparently it was converted from a shop not that long ago - and one which I guess is supposed to have a nautical theme (but this doesn't really extend much past the pub sign and a ship's wheel propped up by the front door). Rustic wooden furniture at the front part of the bar, with dining tables further back. Three real ales on - Pride, Adnams and Batemans XB (not cheap at £3.40) - plus a selection of Belgian bottled beers (also steeply priced). Unusually, upstairs is now an art gallery (Charlie Smith). Overall, one of the better places in the area for a pint.

This place still has a two bar format although the left hand side is more of a restaurant with an open kitchen and diners aplenty. The right hand side is much smaller and it can be hard to find a seat, but it retains a pleasant old boozer feel. Until last night (Saturday) I hadn’t visited for three years and I have to report that it hasn’t really changed much except that I was surprised to find it to be the quietest pub in the area with only about ten people in the whole establishment. This was fine by me as it was the first time I had been in and had a comfortable pint. The American barman was very friendly and the Hampstead locals in attendance were polite and harmless as ever. There is a plasma screen which was off and there is no sport or music aired in here. There is some outside seating at the side of the pub which is fenced off from the path and road. There was a very limited standard draught selection available, but there are three hand pumps adorning the bar which were serving up Greene King IPA, Pride and Davenport’s Busy Fool. It is ok in here if a seat can be found in the bar area, but I would probably leave if the only space available was in the restaurant area as it is not very comfortable as one feels one has to whisper. On a historical note, it was outside this pub where Ruth Ellis, who was the last woman in the country to be hanged, shot and killed her lover David Blakely on Easter Sunday 1955.