Colton Arms

Utter the word "gastropub" or mumble the phrase "wine bar" inside this dinky local boozer and chances are you'll be gently shown the door and promptly redirected back towards Hammersmith or Shepherd's Bush. The Colton Arms is a traditional, old school pub and a good one at that. No faux fripperies here, no fake pandering to tourists desperate for a touch of olde worlde charm. What you see is what you get, a charming unaffected local with a cosy, friendly feel. Inside it's all dark oak, pints in jugs and regulars propping up the bar. It's fairly tiny so you'll definitely attract the attention of the locals and bar staff when you enter, but go with the flow and you'll soon forget you used to drink anywhere else. A dinky, enclosed garden at the back provides a decidedly rural retreat in summer. Plonked unassumingly on a residential street in Baron's Court, there's no denying it's off the beaten track. But take a punt and seek it out and you'll soon find yourself wishing you were a Colton Arms regular too.