Windsor Castle

Genuinely unspoilt, with lots of atmosphere in the tiny, dark rooms, and a bustling summer garden; good beers, and reliable food

With its wealth of dark oak furnishings, high backed surdy built-in elm benches, time-smoked ceilings, soft lighting and a coal-effect fire this warmly characterful Victorian pub oozes with genuine old-fashioned charm. Each of the tiny unspoilt rooms has its own entrance from the street, but it's much more fun trying to navigate through the miniscule doors between them inside (one leads to a cosy pre-war-style dining room). Usually fairly quiet at lunchtime, it tends to be packed most evenings. Fullers London Pride and Timothy Taylors Landlord are well kept alongside a couple of guests such as Shepherd Neame Spitfire and Titanic English Glory on handpump, five draught ciders, decent house wines, various malt whiskies, jugs of Pimms in summer, and perhaps mulled wine in winter, and they have occasional beer festivals. It's especially cosy in winter, but the pub's appeal is just as strong in summer, thanks to the little, tree-shaped garden behind, easily one of London's best pub gardens. It's always busy out here when the sun's shining, but there's quite a secluded feel thanks to the high ivy-covered sheltering walls. They have a bar out here in summer, as well as heaters for cooler days, and lots of tables and chairs on the flagstones.

Bar food includes sandwiches, calamari, ploughman's, sausage and mash, beef bourguignon pie, burgers, scampi, chicken caesar salad, sirloin steak, chocolate brownie and baked vanilla cheesecake with red berry compote.