Queens Larder, Bloomsbury, WC1

The Queen in this case is the unfortunate Queen Charlotte, the consort of King George III, and this pub is named after the food store she maintained when he was “accommodated” nearby during the less lucid period of his life. Anyway, this is a tiny little pub tucked away down an alleyway just off Southampton Row. The bar counter is immediately in front of you as you enter from Cosmo Place, with a bit of banquette seating by the windows with a handful of small round metal framed tables and small stools completing the furnishings. The walls are mainly dark wood panelled, with the upper parts and the latticed ceiling painted a dark red. The upper parts of the walls are decorated with numerous theatre posters, and on the top of the bar gantry are a handful of colourfully garbed model clowns. Outside there are a few picnic benches; in fact there is more seating outside than inside. This is now a Greene King pub, which had no guest ale available during my visit. The half of IPA that I ordered cost £1.90, which is overly expensive even by London standards for what is really a very ordinary beer. There was a faux chalkboard food menu on one of the wall, but without showing prices. The pub itself is a bit twee with flowers on all of the tables, but even so it retains its essential pub character, and I reckon is worth poking your nose into if you’re in the area. However, a better, and more reasonably priced, ale selection would improve the pub immeasurably.

This is a fantastic haven from the cold frosty London streets during the winter months. The pub is small (cosy) and the staff are very friendly. Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Fireside were available along with a selection of standard and Premium lagers. I'll definitely revisit here again.

Official site of the Queens Larder, contains menu - www.queenslarder.co.uk

This is a large open Wetherspoons located up on the first floor of the O2 centre. It's full of the usual assortment of Spoon's patrons propping up the bar and the odd shopper sitting by the huge windows over looking one of the many picturesque Finchley Road traffic light junctions. The service and the quality of the lager is naff and the only good thing is that there are escalators and a lift that go up to and down from the floor the pub is on.

Tiny old pub tucked away behind Southampton row in a little known corner of Bloomsbury. Most people only pass this way if they've business at the National Hospital across Queen Square. Wood panelled, decorated with theatrical memorabilia with a central bar and somehow feels at it cosy best on dark winter's nights. If there's a couple of dozen people inside it would be very intimate indeed, but there is heated terrace outside for those wishing to brave the elements. The only real downside is Greene King's mediocre beers, but no-one's perfect.

Official site of the Queens Larder, contains menu - www.queenslarder.co.uk