The best bars and cafés England

Faced with the sea, this bar held by a Frenchman created a completely English atmosphere: black and pink decoration, neon… We come here to enjoy a beer and especially to meet other French often expatriates.

This typical pub, opened since 1760, offers concerts every Saturday, a good selection of beers and traditional English dishes. Also accommodation.

This superb restaurant has seduced London's aristocracy, who flock here at teatime to soak up the purest British tradition. It has the grace of a Lady.Afternoon tea is a ritual that the Wolseley has mastered perfectly, and which has earned it its reputation. Cream tea comes with scones and cucumber sandwiches, served in lustrous silverware. Afternoon tea with homemade jam and clotted cream. A must for all those wishing to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Jane Austen's novels.

Waxy O'Connors would be the largest Irish pub in the world and for good reason. The place has 4 bars and 6 floors connected by a labyrinth of stairs and passages. Not to mention the Tree Room, whose decoration literally revolves around a real tree. Richly decorated from floor to ceiling, each floor cultivates its own style and changes its atmosphere. Thanks to the 3 giant screens, the place is ideal for watching live sports. You can also eat there, and every Sunday, a real Irish music orchestra comes to play.

These two twin tea salons, located on Abbey Street and Church Street, are adorned with wonderful «buns», a bunch of bread rolls adorned with chocolate, jam and other nuggets. The service is impeccable and involved. Ideal for the sacred saint.

England sometimes still appears so Victorian. This pub is a case in point. The facade dates from 1844 and the interior decoration was completed a few years later in 1875. The interior, furnished in dark wood, cultivates a typical atmosphere to enjoy copious snacks and good beers in this timeless place. The Bunch of Grapes comes alive especially from 6pm, a sign that the office workers in the area have finished their day and that the museums and shops in South Kensington have closed their doors. Then there is only one thing left to do.

This pub is THE indie destination of London's rock scene, with its large cobbled courtyard furnished with wooden tables and canapés. It made a name for itself during the heyday of Kate Moss and Pete Doherty, when the latter regularly played here with his band. Quite simply, every band worthy of the name has played here since it opened - it feels as if it's always been there. You're guaranteed an excellent evening in the company of the relaxed waiters and the musicians who take to the stage, in what is ultimately a rather retro atmosphere.

No pens or notepads here. Like other East London venues (Dalston Superstore or JaguarShoes), Printers & Stationers isn't a stationery shop, but an absolutely brilliant wine bar. Behind Columbia Road, we come across this adorable little house, where customers are so local they seem to live on the premises. To get to the main room (presumably the former dining room), you pass a tiny counter, order your wine balloon (often French) and then through the kitchen. The atmosphere is relaxed.

The bar at Wilton's Music Hall, with its Georgian architecture dating from 1690, was frequented by visiting sailors. In its heyday, some sailors even knew of its existence, even though they didn't know about St. Paul's Cathedral! In ruins and abandoned since 1957, it was reborn in 2009 and completed its renovation in 2015. Today, visitors come to soak up its magical, timeless atmosphere and its music hall, where bands regularly perform. An address well worth a visit, even if it's not in the most charming of neighborhoods.

We've fallen in love with this little community café! This church has been transformed into a friendly place to take a break or come for lunch. Hannah and her team warmly welcome you to this pleasant café decorated in a tropical atmosphere, with plants and surfboards, and will introduce you to delicious homemade pastries: scones, cookies, carrot cake... There's also a savoury option for lunch. Live music, indoor skate park, table tennis... An atypical café open to all, even if you don't drink!

From the outside, an old Jamaican pub, intimidating and grimy. And yet... Here's a gem: extraordinary ambience, live jazz music almost every night and, above all, a motley clientele. Toothless old rastas, students, musicians, cardiologists, neurologists, contortionists, astrologers, gardeners, fishermen, acrobats, bearded ladies, dwarfs, giants, cyclops, civil servants... It also serves good Caribbean cuisine, which goes well with the atmosphere. A well-kept London secret... But we'll give it to you anyway.

As you enter the Cross Keys lair, you discover that every square inch is covered with posters, photos and miscellaneous objects, from the Victorian era to the Beatles. A napkin would even be signed by Elvis Presley. To be watched standing in the bar, in front of a pint of a local beer and a basket of fries! A real classic pub as we like them: buried under geranium pots outside and dark as possible inside. And well located in addition, right next to Covent Garden.

It is said that this is where Watson and Crick discovered the shape of DNA. The Eagle is known to be the oldest pub in Cambridge. Another pride of the pub is the bar ceiling, marked with the names of Royal Air Force airmen who served in the Second World War. This pub is therefore steeped in history and has something to inspire people's minds... It serves traditional English cuisine and of course burgers, which have become classics in English pubs. A good fish'n' chips too. The atmosphere is typical with the rooms standing, beer in hand.

An ambassador of rock culture in London for over 40 years, the Hard Rock Cafe London is an attractive space that needs no introduction. The restaurant offers a good American cuisine with of course the great classics like the hamburger. You can also discover the most precious pieces of rock'n'roll history; Eric Clapton's red Fender guitar, Elvis Presley's red coat with fur cape and Madonna's expired bank card from the 1980s. An experience we recommend.

This historic pub is an absolute must. Although it's tucked away in a dark alleyway (St Helen's Passage), it was the setting for many episodes of the Inspector Morse series. And with good reason: it has played host to such illustrious figures as Oscar Wilde, Richard Burton, Margaret Thatcher, Ben Kingsley and many others. This gives the place an almost mythical dimension. The burgers served are excellent, and the beer selection is very good. The atmosphere is friendly, offering the opportunity to meet the locals.

A large red brick facade just in front of Camden Underground station, and you can almost walk past it without knowing that it is probably the largest pub in London. It is better to meet outside than inside, because with its pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, it attracts people. Inside, a labyrinth of several rooms that follow one another. In the basement is the Underworld Club, which hosts many punk, metal and rock concerts and clubbing evenings almost every night.

The Kingston Arms is for many the best pub in Cambridge. It is the real neighbourhood pub that we love, where locals flock to drink the sacrosanct pint of beer as soon as it opens. 13 beers are served under pressure: a consistent and high quality selection that changes regularly. Cheap and friendly, this establishment will seduce travellers looking for authenticity. Here you can enjoy traditional homemade dishes prepared with ingredients from local merchants. From the front with its wooden tables and flowerpots, you are seduced.

The facade entirely covered with flowers (photographed by all tourists) already predicts a certain tendency to accumulate. The inside confirms our assumptions. We enter a place where the owners devote a true cult to objects. While those dedicated to Winston Churchill are omnipresent, others, more original or crazy, hang out here and there, from the chamber pot to the golf bag. This is what gives this pub its charm, particularly well located, along the Portobello market which serves good beers. A welcome stopover.