Best Pubs In Hackney

• Location: 19 Martello Street, Hackney, E8 3PE
• Price: ££
• Highlights: heated terrace, live sports, burgers, BBQ and Sunday roasts
• Why we recommend: you can easily show up to this pub without a plan and leave having had a good time, whether that's after a show, after a long walk through London Fields, or just because you feel like a great pint

Perched on the very edge of London Fields, Pub on the Park thrives come rain or shine. With its large umbrellas and prime position overlooking the park, it's a rare Hackney pub that's the perfect meeting point for friends. With Hackney Central, London Fields and Haggerston stations all within easy reach, it's a convenient destination for everyone. 

The food is equally exciting here, as Pitboss, the kitchen in residence, serves up burgers, BBQ, and hearty Sunday roasts seven days a week, making it a dependable choice for any appetite.

• Location: 32 Horatio Street, Shoreditch, E2 7SB
• Price: £
• Highlights: Sunday roast, regular karaoke and cocktail pop-ups in the basement
• Why we recommend: a roast dinner and a pint after a wander round the iconic Columbia Road Flower Market is the stuff of dreams

Just of Hackney Road, near Columbia Road Flower Market, The Nelson's has deep roots in London's LGBTQ+ scene. If pushed, it would even self-identity as a gay bar - though all are well and truly welcome here.

Shabby chic and oh-so-charming, it's all exposed wood, Persian rugs and floral touches. Famed for its roast dinners, it serves up a choice of beef, lamb, chicken, pork or cauliflower cheese Wellington with giant yorkies and lashings of gravy.

• Location: 2 Sylvester Path, E8 1EN
• Price: ££
• Highlights: boutique hotel, beer garden, live sports, and delicious rotisserie chicken
• Why we recommend: we think that the rotisserie chicken here is well worth stopping off for, and if you don't fancy a whole one, you can enjoy half for £12.50

On the hunt for the best pubs near Hackney Central? Then head to The Old Ship, which blends the familiarity of a classic British pub with the understated comfort of a boutique hotel. Food here is kept refreshingly simple, with a focus on doing the basics exceptionally well. The legendary rotisserie chicken is the star: free-range, brined for 24 hours, marinated for another 24, and finished on a flame-grill rotisserie for maximum flavour.

Alongside it, you'll find burgers made with prime-cut British beef, plus homemade sauces and sides that elevate classic pub comfort food. Its location, just moments from Hackney Empire, MOTH Club and Oslo, makes it a natural stop before a show.

• Location: 31-35 Coate Street, E2 9AG
• Price: £
• Highlights: live music, live sports and Yard Sale pizza
• Why we recommend: we think that this pub is perfect for those who fancy a slice of top-tier pizza and a cracking gig - there's always something going on

Sebright Arms is one of the city's best small music venues. The room has a history of spotting talent early, with early gigs from the likes of Courtney Barnett, Charli XCX, Squid and Catfish and the Bottlemen, and even the occasional hush-hush show from top artists. Nearly every night, you'll find the cream of London's alternative scene on stage, and the best part? A lot of it is free entry.

The old, wood-panelled space gives it a proper neighbourhood pub feel too. With large screens showing live sports, it's the perfect place to catch a match with friends, and the social calendar is reliably busy: Monday quizzes, Tuesday pool competitions and Friday karaoke ensure there's always a reason to pop in. And when there's Yard Sale pizza on the menu? Count us in. 

• Location: The Crown and Half Crown, 416-418 Mare St, Hackney, E8 1HP
• Price: £
• Highlights: bingo, karaoke, DJ sets, toastie menu
• Why we recommend: two spaces in one, The Crown and Half Crown combines the best of the local boozer and a lively late night hangout

A long-standing Hackney favourite, The Crown and Half Crown has gained a reputation for one of East London's best pints. Expect beautifully poured Guinness and Murphy's alongside creative cocktails and an impressive collection of beers.

Split across two spaces, it's great for relaxed afternoons as well as late, lively evenings. Its toasties alone are worth paying a visit - generously packed, they make for the perfect ale soaker.

• Location: 25 White Post Lane, Hackney, E9 5ER
• Price: £
• Highlights: rooftop garden, street food, great beer
• Why we recommend: with great food, cracking beer and London's best DJs every weekend, this place is the heart of Hackney Wick

After closing for over 20 years, The Lord Napier & Star is back - and it's better looking than ever. With a street art covered front, bold interiors and statement lighting, it's super cool even by Hackney's standards. 

Spread across two floors with a roof top terrace, there's plenty of room for a pint with your pals or a casual bite to eat, whatever the weather. The kitchen sees a regular rotation of London's best food traders, serving up everything from burgers and hot dogs to Thai street food.

• Location: 25 White Post Lane, Hackney, E9 5ER
• Price: £
• Highlights: large selection of beers, karaoke room, Sunday roasts
• Why we recommend: it has the best bits of a local with a Scandinavian twist - the Viking Drink is a must-try

Just north of Victoria Park, The Kenton is a proudly Norwegian-run London boozer. Packing in bold colours, vintage furniture and a giant Norwegian moose head shot by the landlord's grandfather in 1972, its decor is as eclectic as its drinks list. 

Catering for all tastes, it's got thirteen beers and ales on tap as well its signature Viking Drink, which includes a healthy serving of the Norwegian schnapps “Akkevit”. It takes its music seriously too, with a great playlist, a karaoke room and occasional DJs playing everything from 60s rock and indie to disco and electronica.

• Location: 90 Amhurst Road, E8 1JH
• Price: £-££
• Highlights: ACE pizza, independent brewery (The Five Points Brewing Company), quiz nights, and outdoor seating 
• Why we recommend: this pub and brewery is a great destination to visit with friends for a slice of delicious pizza and a go at testing your general knowledge with its pub quiz 

The Pembury Tavern has been around since 1856, so it's no stranger to the pub scene, though these days you'll find it serving up gooey pizza from Hackney's ACE pizza every day of the week, and pouring pints of craft beer. You can expect a wealth of choice here, drinks-wise, as it's part of The Five Points Brewing Company. 

Open daily, it hosts a regular quiz every Monday with tap takeovers, and has a genuinely cosy and buzzing atmosphere thanks to its convenient location only moments from the Hackney Downs overground. 

• Location: 231 Lower Clapton Road, E5 8EG
• Price: £
• Highlights: sprawling beer garden, live sports, Sunday roasts, and fireplaces 
• Why we recommend: with its historic charm, brilliant food, and unbeatable atmosphere, we think that it's one of those rare spots that feels like an essential go-to

Nestled in the heart of Clapton, The Clapton Hart is a rare East London gem that's incredibly spacious. With roots stretching back to the 18th century, its original features lovingly preserved and its atmosphere forever warm. Inside its textured and oxblood-coloured walls, you'll find cosy corners, crackling fires, and the hum of friends catching up.

The food is a serious highlight, too. The menu leans into the best of pub classics with a confident, contemporary edge, such as hearty Sunday roasts, sharing boards, and plant-based burgers. The drinks list is equally impressive, featuring local ales, fine wines, and cocktails.

• Location: 73 Columbia Road, E2 7RG
• Price: ££
• Highlights: Columbia Road location, gastro food, beer garden, live sports, and brilliant Sunday roasts
• Why we recommend: if you're looking for your next favourite pub that feels like a local, then Royal Oak is a strong contender. There's such a lovely, friendly vibe that radiates from the kitchen here, and they do a mean Guinness too 

Halfway through your browse down Columbia Road, past its independent shops and flower stalls, you must stop off at the Royal Oak for a pint of Guinness or a spot of lunch. It's forever popular due to its fabulous location, and the menu featuring British classics, like fish and chips, is a major draw too. 

Inside, you'll find velvety-looking, dark blue coloured walls with warm wooden accents, and features that date back as far as 1923. What's more, it's also been used as a filming location for an array of TV shows and movies, such as the 90s sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart.

• Location: 360 Victoria Park Road, E9 7BT
• Price: £-££
• Highlights: large beer garden, indoor and outdoor greenhouses, quiz nights, and live sports
• Why we recommend: open seven days a week, this naturally well-lit pub is a pretty drinking den right in the centre of all East going-ons, and we love their top-tier hot dogs washed down with a cold one

Nestled in the heart of Victoria Park, The People's Park Tavern is a true East London escape: a lush, secret-garden oasis where the beer garden is not just big, it's one of the largest in the city. Whether you're easing into a sunny afternoon with a pint or seeking a late-night hangout, the indoor and outdoor 'greenhaus' vibe makes it the perfect all-weather retreat.

You'll also find indoor and outdoor bars, a tap wall stacked with craft pours (including house-brewed options), a BBQ kitchen, and a rotating roster of pop-up cocktail bars. The food hits the mark too, from smoky BBQ plates to hearty Sunday roasts in the colder months, and the calendar is packed with events that keep the place feeling fresh year-round. 

• Location: 24 - 28, Broadway Market, Hackney, E8 4QJ
• Price: ££
• Highlights: Belgian, European, world beers and micro-brewery guest ales
• Why we recommend: we love the huge selection of beers, and the cosy corners, perfect for a pint or two

A proper beer drinkers pub with plenty of shoutouts from CAMRA, The Dove packs in a mighty fine selection of international beers, plus six regularly changing ales from a British microbrewery. Just like the drinks list, the menu leans toward British and Belgian, with its regularly changing specials featuring all kinds of sausages and burgers. 

With many levels of wooden booths and snug seating tucked into the corners of the pub, this place is perfect for a catchup with pals over a pint or a casual date night with a bite to eat. Always abuzz, it's as popular with the after-work crowd as it is for its epic Sunday roasts.

• Location: 224 Homerton High Street, E9 6AS
• Price: ££
• Highlights: all-vegan menu, Sunday roast, and dog-friendly 
• Why we recommend: here, families, dogs and late-night crowds all feel equally welcome, and the atmosphere is warm, lively and inclusive

London's first fully vegan pub, The Spread Eagle, is all about sustainability: everything from the drinks to the fixtures is plant-based, and the kitchen is obsessed with minimal waste, working directly with foragers and local producers to keep the menu seasonal, fresh and fiercely local.

The kitchen turns pub classics into genuinely exciting plates such as pie, mash and liquor done with an East End twist, a signature 'TSE' burger, and sticky toffee pudding that's somehow even more indulgent than the original. 

• Location: 438 Kingsland Road, E8 4AA
• Price: £
• Highlights: buzzing location on Kingsland Road, live music, and rugged interiors 
• Why we recommend: we find that the music and events programme at The Haggerston is consistently strong, and you'll even find movie marathons taking place here

A stone's throw from Haggerston Station, The Haggerston is a pub that was built for the night. With DJs spinning from Thursday through Sunday and a late-night licence on weekends, it's the perfect pre-club haunt before you head into Dalston's renowned nightlife.

The interior is raw, with exposed brick walls and dark wooden accents, the staff are animated and welcoming, and the crowd is a mix of local regulars and night-out seekers. Sundays are particularly special, thanks to their acclaimed jazz night, which draws a dedicated crowd and a queue that forms early.

• Location: 254 Hackney Road, E2 7SB
• Price: ££
• Highlights: local beers, seasonal British menu, and cosy furnishings 
• Why we recommend: whether you're after a classic cocktail, a glass of Burgundy, or a meal that feels truly special, we feel that Marksman delivers with confidence and polish

Sitting on the boundary between Shoreditch and Bethnal Green, Marksman is one of the best pubs in Hackney for food. From its hanging chandeliers to its pool table and screens, the interior has all the familiar comforts of a classic London drinking den, but it's truly what's on the plate that sets it apart. You can look forward to a vast selection of pints, locally sourced ales, world wines and all the essential spirits.

As London's first public house to win the Michelin Pub of the Year award, its menu is filled with seasonal dishes and signature highlights that keep people coming back. Think rarebit buns, whole dressed Dorset crab, and indulgent sharing plates such as Tamworth collar with roast quince - plus Sunday roasts that have become legendary across the capital.