Part of our Best Pubs in London microsite. Is your local listed?
The Canary Wharf area is bereft of nice drinking spots, but head to the eastern shores of the 'island' and you'll find one of the greatest pubs in the entire capital.
The Gun has comfort and character in spades. First, it's truly historic. Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton were frequent visitors, apparently, escaping to this riverside bolt hole to conduct their not-so-secret affair. The place today retains all the wooden cosiness of a 19th century boozer, but with all the convenience of modern hospitality.
The view out of the riverside windows and terrace has changed somewhat since their time. Across the Thames, the Greenwich Peninsula has evolved from nothing-but-marsh to a new hub of entertainment, focussed on the O2 dome. The river traffic is also somewhat different. Gone are the schooners and East Indiamen of Nelson's day, replaced by Uber Boats and police speedboats.
The place is quiet on a weekday afternoon, but head here after work or at the weekend and you'll find the place bustling with trade. Many come for the food, with one of Fuller's most traditional dining rooms, but you'll be very happy here with just a pint, especially if you can bag one of the limited table on the terrace.
Catch this particular spot at high tide and you'll hear the waves lapping a few centimetres beneath the decking... or perhaps above the decking during exceptional tides. The waters are also audible from the cubicles of the ladies' toilets (so we're told).
A tented beer garden amidships, with its own bar, helps to absorb the crowds at this ever-popular boozer.
Images below are from 2013 and might not reflect the current look of the pub (though, to be fair, it doesn't change much). We keep them in for the sake of posterity.
