1. The Holborn pub with the most famous landlady in London: The Seven Stars
Holborn, London
Carey Street is just off Chancery Lane, sandwiched between the backside of the Royal Courts of Justice and New Square, and it’s home to one of central London’s oldest pubs – the Seven Stars. Established in 1602, the Seven Stars has been managed by ‘alewife for the ages’ Roxy Beaujolais since 2001. It’s home to barristers, lawyers, law students, West End stars, criers and priests, and everybody in between.
Busiest mid-week where you’re likely to have to stand around outside with a pint, on the inside this Holborn bar is decorated with archive film posters and has an antique dumb waiter bringing food down from the tiny kitchen upstairs, showcasing Roxy’s well-known and well-loved pub food – there’s no menu here, just a blackboard scribbled with a select number of dishes based on what’s in season and what was available at market.
It’s a no-fuss, no-frills kind of pub, concerned only with good beer, good chat, and good food. In the words of proprietress Roxy, ‘A pub is egalitarian; anyone can come in. Until I say they can't.’