European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 13, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 the stars and stripes by j. King Cruger travel writer Here is a famous remark by Samuel Johnson that goes no sir there is nothing which has yet been contrived by Man by which so much Happi Ness is produced As by a Good tavern or  visitors to London who have sampled the pleasures of a British pub an institution unlike any other find it hard to quarrel with or. Johnson. Nevertheless they Are presented with a delightful dilemma picking out just the right pub from among the More than 7,000 in the British capital in which to Down a pint or two. London has pubs of every kind historical and literary edwardian and victorian waterfront and theme the ele Gant and the scruffy the straight and the Gay. Even if you know exactly the sort of London pub that might tickle your fancy you can waste valuable time tracking them Down unless you know where they Are. To help narrow your search Here s a list of favourites drawn from exhaustive pub crawls. Naturally it s a highly personal one. Are they the Best in London they Are for me. Let s Start off with a few pubs that Are Rich in literary and historical ties. For the most part these pubs with fantastic pasts Are located in the City of London that old compact area wherein beats the commercial heart of London. Today two Hundred pubs do a Lively business there although this is a far cry from those Halycon Days prior to the great fire of 1666 when 1,500 Gin Mills slaked the thirsty within the venerable Square mile. Be olde Cheshire cheese 145 Fleet Street. This one is on everyone s tops in pubs Chart despite the fact that hundreds of Trench coated american tourists daily troop through. Without doubt it s the most famous pub in London. It was rebuilt in 1667, a year after the great fire. Or. Johnson hoisted Many a Tankard there. Fortunately he had Only a few feet to stagger Home since his House stands up an Alley just around the Corner. The Cheshire cheese has Long been a favorite with journalists from All the big London dailies. Dickens used to drink there As Well As in a great Many other London pubs Back in his Days As a journalist the in the know crowd favors the ground floor bar. Tourists flock upstairs and a few of them trickle Down into the cellar wine bar. The food is uniformly Good. Try be Bill of fare s Steak and kidney pie. The Beer is one of England s Best Marston a a real ale. Incidentally this pub is the meeting place for the Fleet Street chapter of Camra Campaign for real ale an organization of zealots committed to putting the oomph Back in British Beer. Camra contends that Brit ish Beer for All practical purposes the terms Beer and ale Are used interchangeably in the . Has been systematically weakened by the British brewing  set about fighting Back several years ago mainly by patronizing Only pubs serving traditional Beer. For those whose thirst can Only be slaked by tradition Al Beer Camra publishes guides to hundreds of pubs where Good Beer can be found. For those who Don t own guides help exists in the form of stickers that appear on doors and windows of pubs. They say simply this pub serves Good  i be found the recommendation Well Worth following. Be olde cock tavern 22 Fleet Street. Its roots Goback to 1655. It managed to escape the great fire but in time was forced to move across the Street. Some of the original furnishings remain. The olde cock has lengthy literary links to scribes such As Samuel Pepys Johnson Oliver Goldsmith Dickens William Makepeace Thacke Ray and Alfred lord Tennyson. There the literary lights spent time with their pints and away from their pens. Plush atmosphere and lots of regulars. The Black Friar 174 Queen Victoria Street. Another City pub this one demands a careful look at its facade before entering. Statues of monks some Tipsy abound As do striking balconies and lamps of wrought Iron. The Marble walled Interior will turn your head too. The bar is also of Marble. Copper Bas reliefs depicting monks and the Devil fill the Walls. You won t be disappointed by this one. The three establishments Are closed sundays. % the George and vulture 3 Castle court George Yard. Just the walk to the pub through a Maze of interest ing alleys is reason enough to visit this pub that claims it s the oldest in the world a much disputed claim trac ing its ancestry Back to the 12th Century. This is the pub that Dickens staked out As the London hangout of or. Pickwick. The club like atmosphere abounds in Dickens Ana. It s known for its traditional Chophouse fare. Jamaica wine House St. Michael s Alley. A hop skip and a jump away from the George & vulture the Jamaica is steeped in mahogany Copper and brass you can get Beer there but the bulk of its Trade is in port Sherry and Claret. These two establishments Are close saturdays and sundays. The Lamb & Flag 33 Rose Street. Convenient to the West end theater District and a Stone s throw away from the re Borning covent Garden Market area this pub is a is by j. King Cruger downstairs Beer upstairs Holmes study. Bit scruffy but it draws an interesting and Friendly group of regulars from the nearby Heaters and opera. Poet John Dryden survived an assassination attempt while making his Way Home from there one night in 1679. The place has come a Long Way from those brawling Days when it came to be known As the bucket of blood a description now used the world Over to describe any joint where a customer takes life in hand merely by venturing inside. Closed sundays. The Sherlock Holmes 10 Northumberland Road. A Short walk off Charing Cross Road and near Trafalgar Square this is the most famous of London s theme pubs. This is a bit of a shrine to the fictional detective created by sir Arthur Conan Doyle who quaffed there when it was called the Northumberland arms. Upstairs houses a recreation of Holmes Baker Street study. Dirty Dicks 202 Bishops Gate. The list would t be Complete without this prime tourist attraction. It gets its name from the fact that it is dirty Dusty and filled with cobwebs. Plenty to see from High ceiling to vaulted cellar. Prospect of Whitby 57 Wapping Wall. Waterfront pubs rate particularly High in my Book and this thames Side pub is one of the Best despite its rather brusque staff. A converted sailing ship the pub affords wonderful views of the River traffic from its upstairs dining room and Ter race. Other London Riverside pubs Worth a visit include City Barge strand on the Green Dove Rule Britannia was composed there 19 upper mall Mayflower 117 Rother Hithe Street Samuel Pepys Brooks wharf upper thames Street ship 10 thames Bank Riverside and the yacht Crane Street. Swan tavern 66 Bay Swater Road. Long a favorite with americans the now defunct Columbia club was just up the Road the Swan has a popular sidewalk cafe that s great for people watching. This is a Fine place to take a break from sunday browsing at the outdoor Artex Hibits along the Park Side of Bay Swater Road. Exception ally Good pub food and sandwiches. Black Cap 171 Camden High Street. One of the strange manifestations on the London pub scene is the number of drag bars. These Are places featuring transvestite entertainment. Sometimes the patrons Are in drag too. The Black Cap is the tames of about 30 of these pubs operating in London. Shows Start at 8 . And continue till closing. Get there Early if you want a seat. Monday night is Amateur night. Not recommended for those of fended by Raunchy language. When Are pubs open Good question. In London pubs May be open nine and a half hours per Day on weekdays. This usually works out to from 11  to 3 . And again from 5 30 to 11 in the evening. Sundays it s usually noon to 2 . And again from 7 to 11 . Once the pubs close you can still get a drink in most London clubs by taking out a temporary membership. Still stumped As to which is the pub for you then get the latest edition of the invaluable Egon Roray s pub guide or drop by the pub information Center 10 ailing ton St., London sw1. Or phone 01-8263261. Or if wine is your thing i f pubs Aren t quite your cup of Tea consider sipping in one of London smart wine bars. After a slow Start they Are now the in places in the City. Although a bit More expensive than pubs wine bars fill a Gap Between pubs and restaurants since pubs generally Don t have food in the evenings. Wine bars generally offer a Choice of two or three hot dishes often something like Coq Auvin la Sagne or goulash and a Good selection of quiches cold meats salads and cheeses. All wine bars serve a selection of wine Sherry Madeira or port by the Glass or by the bottle. Spirits and Beer Are not served. Unlike in pubs Coffee can be obtained after the meal. Operating hours Are similar to pubs Al though some wine bars have extended eve Ning hours. Knowledgeable friends in London pass along this Well sampled list of their favorite wine bars along with some capsule descriptions Julie s wine bar 137 Portland Road. This a Haven of victorian sofas stained Glass and lots of plants. Particularly popu Lar at sunday lunchtime. The Loose Box wine bar 7 Cheval place. Situated almost opposite harrods the Loose Box is immensely popular with the Young set. Decoration is minimal but the food and wine Are excellent. Just about impossible to find a seat on Friday and sat urday nights. Swifts wine bar 93 Pelham Street. Handy for the South Kensington museums swifts has particularly Good seafood specialities. Prawns Are served by the pint in Beer mugs. Cork & bottle wine bar 44 Gran Bourn Street. This gregarious wine bar with its two adjoining cellars is reached through a Garden Gate. It s a Good address to remember for pre theater. Mother Bunch s wine bar old Seal Coal Lane. The wine bar is one of the few that seeks an old English atmosphere. The wines Are excellent and the food ranges from the simple to the truly luxurious. Crawford wine bar 10 Crawford Street. Candle lit basement wine bar off Baker Street. Soft pop music in the evening followed by live entertainment from 8 . Especially popular with Young people. Ruby s wine bar 28 Sussex place. Good conversation Early in the evening and then the three floors burst with people toward closing time. Jimmie s wine bar Kensington Church Street. The Entrance to Jimmie s is tucked in the Wall of the old Kensington Barracks and its atmosphere owes much to its former use As a stable. Dark beams hang overhead and there is a constant Aroma of grilling meat coming from the vast open fire. A guitarist plays from quit Early in the evening. Downs wine bar 5 Down Street. Dark and intimate with candles on each table this is a hangout for the Beautiful people of Mayfair. Tables outside in summer and disco in the evening. Jakc