The Harp, Covent Garden

An award-winning local

Until 1995 this was the Welsh Harp. That year Binnie Walsh took it over and built its reputation for well-kept beer: it won the Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood's London Pub of the Year in 2008, and CAMRA's National Pub of the Year 2010, announced in early 2011. Fuller's bought the pub in 2014.

Inside

The building sits on a slim plot, so the main bar is long and narrow, with stairs leading up to a small upstairs room and the toilets. At busy times drinkers spill onto Chandos Place, which is part of the fun on a warm evening. The focus is firmly on the beer, and the award history makes it a pilgrimage stop for real ale fans visiting London. Come early in the evening if you want a seat inside, as a small pub this central fills up quickly with office workers and theatregoers.

Around Chandos Place

The National Gallery and Trafalgar Square are about three minutes' walk, which makes The Harp an easy pairing with an afternoon among the paintings. Blacklock Covent Garden is close by if you want dinner after, and the Strand's theatres are just around the corner.

Highlights

• CAMRA National Pub of the Year 2010
• First London pub to win the national title
• Known as the Welsh Harp until 1995
• Upstairs room above a narrow bar
• Three minutes from the National Gallery

Good to know

• The toilets and upstairs room are up a flight of stairs.
• It is a small pub, so expect it to be busy after work and before shows.

Frequently asked questions