Part of our Best Pubs in London microsite. Is your local listed?
Thanks to its striking blue benches, you can see this place from quite a distance away on Lower Mall. The pub sits cheek-by-jowl with the Rutland Arms. Both get very crowded on hot summer's days, but the Anchor is the pick of the pair. The interior is like a shrine to small boats, with pendent prows and wall-mounted oars.
During busy periods you might need one of those bargepoles to fight your way to the bar. Here you'll find a quartet of real ales and the usual selection of lagers and wines. This place has been dispensing ales since at least 1722, when it was known as the 'Blew Anchor', and the pub retains an 'olde worlde' feel. Look round the back for a cosy seating area, or head upstairs for additional tables. Note also the plaques to an Olympian and a deceased regular outside.
