The London Monopoly Pub Crawl is a great way to see the city and socialise with friends at the same time. It's basically a pub-crawl around central London, with a real ale hostelry at each street or station which appears on the monopoly board. There are organised trips but it's much more fun to download the directions from the website (both the most direct route and the original board route are listed), grab your oyster card and some friends and hit the street! Note: it does take all day (we started at around 11am and reached the final pub just as last orders were being called) and if you drink alcohol at even half of the stops you're likely to be a bit squiffy by the end!

monopolypubcrawl.org.uk/

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This very trendy bar is located on the seventh floor overlooking Leicester Square. Apart from it being a great bar, is has some of the best views across the square and across London for that matter.

www.thepenthouselondon.com/
1 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7FB
+44(0)871 971 4626
Google map: bit.ly/scU0od

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I suppose you could call this my local, and indeed it has the most 'local' feel of any of the pubs in the area. It's never full, just a couple of regulars lurking at the bar who look like they've been glued to the same spot for years. However, it's a great place to watch the footie on big screens and you can be sure of getting a seat and a pint.

43 Lyndhurst Grove, London SE15 5AN
+44 207 703 8057
Getting there: buses 12, 36, 171, 436 to Southwark Town Hall then walk up Shenley Road
Google map: bit.ly/n7xkhp

Lucy is our Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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Old-style boozer in the heart of Peckham with a pool table and cheap pints. Local artists hold exhibitions of their work in the back room.

96 Peckham High Street, London SE15 5ED
+207 639 2490
Getting there: overground train to Peckham Rye, buses 12, 36, 171, 436
Google map: bit.ly/nr4x0Q

* Lucy is the Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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A lovely pub on the Gallic Choumert Road with a 'Back Room' cinema club and a long menu offering organic roasts for Sunday lunch
The fish is fresh and comes from sustainable sources & British seas. The supplier is F.C Sopers fishmongers in Nunhead (www.fcsoper.com), a local institution since 1898.
The meat is free-range and organic. The chicken, pork & lamb comes from a small farm, Gillwing, in Sussex (www.gillwing.co.uk/farm) and is delivered by Andrew, the farmer, who makes the sausages all by hand.
The opening times seem to vary, the staff are exceptionally friendly and continued to pour the beverages long after midnight on a Thursday, as everyone was still having a good time and reluctant to leave!

www.themontpelier.net
43 Choumert Road, London SE15 4AR
+44 207 635 9483
Open Mon-Thur & Sun 12.00-23.00, Fri-Sat 12.00-01.00
Overground to Peckham Rye, buses 12, 171, 197
Google map: bit.ly/p4e0OB

Lucy is our Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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Last night I finally made it up to the 10th floor of Peckham's multi-storey carpark, after several failed attempts, to discover another world ... hundreds of art students milling around, drinking pale ale and cocktails, munching on scrummy nibbles, flirting, discussing the art installations, but most of all, gazing in wonder at the magnificent view: all of London laid out in 360-degree spleandor, shimmering in the sunset, from the O2 arena, past the Shard, St Pauls, the London Eye, the Post Office Tower, before spinning around to catch the Crystal Palace tower in the corner of the eye. Frank's Bar is part of the Bold Tendencies art project and 15 artists have been commissioned to produce and show work in 2011. The bar stays open throughout the summer.

Frank's Cafe and Campari Bar
10th floor, Peckham Multi-storey carpark,
95a Rye Lane, London SE15 4ST
+44 758 288 4574
Open July 1 to Sept 30, Tues-Sun 11.00-22.00
Food served 12.00-14.30 & 18.00-22.00
Bus 12 to Rye Lane
Google map: bit.ly/n7IQZY

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Look out for the beautifully restored Art Deco facade and the white on black lettering reading 'Electrical Engineers' as you head up Peckham Rye for a stroll around the park.
Visitors are tempted inside this former electrical and hardware store by the beautiful furnishings, comfortable sofas, giant sanded dresser behind the bar and the collection of paintings by local artists adorning the walls. This cafe and art gallery hosts different exhibitions and private views every month. The cakes are all home-made and the menu includes some mouth-watering items such as smoked haddock, baby spinach and lemon fishcakes. The cafe/gallery opened in November 2010 and French manager Julie plans to incorporate a large deli, with meats, cheeses, home-baked bread and a vast range of tempting treats and there's an arts and crafts fair every Saturday morning on the leafy terrace, over the road from the Common. It's a wonderfully sophisticated, cultured yet friendly place to hang out in south Peckham.

The Gardens
184 Peckham Rye, London SE22 9AQ
+44 (0)203 490 3039
Open Mon-Sat 09.00-17.00, Sun 10.00-17.00
Evening openings and website coming soon
Bus No. 12 to Peckham Rye
Google map: bit.ly/p6WAxc

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A little gem of a gallery this sits in the heart of this leafy part of London, just on the edge of Dulwich Village. There is an entrance fee, but it’s worth it alone to see star exhibits by Rembrandt and Gainsborough plus a large range of 17th and 18th century old masters. The gallery was purpose built in 1811 to house a collection originally commissioned by the last King of Poland.
The gallery has a small but quite up-market café and there’s a very good nearby pub, the Crown and Greyhound.

Entrances are on Gallery Road and College Road.
Nearest Stations: West Dulwich and North Dulwich - the gallery is signposted.
www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/default.aspx

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Wine tasting on your doorstep in London. This fun night at cosy 'local' pub The Alma, is held approximately once a month on a Wednesday evening. Enjoy tutorials for different tastes and vintages from around the world, plus a selection of complimentary nibbles to stop you getting too drunk!

There are just 10 places per evening (book in advance!) so it feels pleasantly intimate - and you really do get to learn about what you're drinking.

All in all, a great, unusual night out in London.

Newington Green Road (North London - Canonbury or Highbury & Islington)

See the-alma.co.uk/wine-club.html

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We went to El Torero Loco for a quick after work drink - we ended up staying there all night! It really is a tapas place with a difference - stylish with a glamorous sofa area at the back. Great happy hour 5-7pm, with amazing cocktails. The tapas were divine - try the chorizo stew and gambas.

351 Fulham road, London (Chelsea)
www.eltoreroloco.co.uk
Gloucester road or Fulham Broadway

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Just a short walk away from the Camden Lock and the tube station is the buzzing Jazz Café. You can enjoy a perfect evening either dining upstairs, or chill out with friends, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the bands and performers that play here every few days.

I have been on a number of occasions and never had a bad time, mostly due to the music! They play a variety of genres, from jazz to hip-hop to blues, and for some of the bigger nights you may have to book in advance, but it's definitely worth it. Drop by if you fancy a night of relaxing with a few beers and some melodic jazzy tones.

5 Parkway, Camden, London, NW1 7PG

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The Nell Gwynne is one of the tiniest pubs in London but full of character with great staff and great music. Well worth a visit. It's down an alley off The Strand opposite The Savoy.

2 Bull Inn Court, London, WC2R 0NP

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Pub: Great ale at incredibly cheap prices in the heart of the city. Not to be missed by tourists and/or serious drinkers alike!

145 Fleet Street

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A low-key bar in a basement behind an unmarked door, Lounge Bohemia manages to avoid the Hoxton Saturday night invasion and remain a calm and laid back place to drop in for a cocktail, a chat and complimentary canapes. Strictly retro decor, very friendly and beautuful staff, the place is absolutely tiny and perfect to impress a date and tuck them away in a cosy corner.

Delicious cocktails start at £5 and it's easy to lose track of time and work your way through the whole menu. Tea For Two (£10) comes served in a chunky pattered teapot with matching cups and saucers and - be warned - a generous amount of alcohol. The perfect way to start an evening, or begin the end of an evening, depending on how well your date went...

1e Great Eastern Street
London
EC2 3EJ
07720 707 000
www.loungebohemia.com
Old Street tube
Liverpool Street tube

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A great backstreet pub, with fantastic food and lovely staff. Has a brilliant circular bar to sit around, drink, eat and chat. Just around the corner from The Hoxton Urban Lodge too.

28 Paul Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 4LB

www.thefoxpublichouse.co.uk/contact_us.php

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They serve the best fish and chips in London. The beer is always served cold. Plus, it's close to several major Tube stations and the Embankment.

10 Northumberland St
Near Charing Cross station

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Set in a Victorian warehouse, this is a fantastic boozer. Good crowd, good service, good acoustics and great live acts on at the weekend. Slightly off the beaten track but well worth jumping on the Northern line for!

www.antic-ltd.com/tooting/

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Situated just off Haymarket, Mint Leaf serves seriously good Indian food. It'd definitely in the same category as some of the more celebrated options like Veeraswamy and Tamarind. Get a mix of main courses to share to make the most of the experience – a combination of chicken curry, lamb stew, pulao rice, bread basket, yellow lentils and aloo will certainly not disappoint.

www.mintleafrestaurant.com

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J Sheekey has long been part of London’s eating scene - it dates back as far as 1896. However, it's only since its relaunch by the people behind the Ivy that it's really been worth a visit. The freshness and availability of all Sheekey’s ingredients mean they have no restaurant set menu; instead, a wonderful selection of dishes of the day served by some of the friendliest, most knowledgeable staff you could wish for. It's definitely worth booking as far in advance as you possibly can.

www.j-sheekey.co.uk

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Great site with information on the most fabulous bars in London

www.worldsbestbars.com

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