Soho. Just one square mile of central London, yet its energy could power the entire city. It’s a neon-lit labyrinth of West End theatres, backstreet jazz bars, historic clubs, and late-night eateries that hum long past midnight. While it draws in hundreds of thousands of people each day for work, leisure, and entertainment, Soho has always been more than a destination—it’s a feeling, a sensory rush wrapped in nostalgia and noise.
But beyond the bold lights and stage curtains lies another side of Soho: one poured slowly from taps behind age-worn bars, from cellar-kept casks, and from the polished steel lines of modern craft operations. Soho is home to some of the most iconic pubs in London, where the stories run deeper than the pint glasses. In this two-part feature, we explore the most-poured pints in Soho, the venues that serve them, and the shifting culture behind what Londoners—and visitors—are drinking now.
From Aristocrats to Ales: Soho’s Liquid History
Before the rise of cocktails, wine lists, and espresso martinis, Soho was already pouring pints for poets, playwrights, and the bohemian elite. The district’s pub culture has long been entwined with its social evolution—welcoming everyone from working-class regulars and West End actors to LGBTQ+ trailblazers and musicians fresh off a set.
The area’s rich history has created a unique beer landscape, where traditional British ales and emerging global brands now jostle for space on the same bar. And despite its constant reinvention, Soho still values pubs as communal spaces—a place to think, laugh, plot, or pause with a well-earned pint.
The 10 Most-Poured Pints in Soho (2025 Edition)
We’ve scouted Soho’s busiest bars, consulted trade data from late 2024 to early 2025, and tracked average prices across the capital. These ten pints dominate the draught lines—from fashionable lagers to time-honoured ales.
1. Beavertown Neck Oil (Session IPA)
Ownership: Heineken
Average Price: £6.36 nationally; often £6.80+ in Soho
Poured At: The Lyric, BrewDog Soho
This hazy session IPA continues to reign supreme in London’s casual craft scene. With juicy hop character and a light 4.3% ABV, it’s accessible but full of personality. Neck Oil has become the unofficial pint of London’s creative crowd.
2. Peroni Nastro Azzurro (Premium Lager)
Ownership: Asahi
Average Price: £6.08 nationally; £6.70+ in London
Poured At: The Dog & Duck, The Blue Posts
Peroni’s clean, crisp profile and Italian chic branding make it a go-to choice in stylish venues. It’s as common as Aperol in Soho’s summer afternoons and pairs effortlessly with everything from pub fish and chips to Neapolitan pizza.
3. Birra Moretti L’Autentica (Lager)
Ownership: Heineken
Average Price: £5.82 nationally; £6.20 in London
Poured At: The Lyric, various Soho gastropubs
Moretti’s rounder, maltier body offers an alternative to Peroni while retaining the Italian appeal. Soho drinkers often choose it for its slightly softer finish.
4. Camden Hells Lager
Ownership: AB-InBev
Average Price: £5.72
Poured At: The Lyric, The Blue Posts
Camden Town Brewery’s flagship lager is London in a glass—bright, clean, and easygoing. Its rise reflects the city’s love affair with craft-brewed lagers that don’t overcomplicate things.
5. Guinness Draught
Ownership: Diageo
Average Price: £5.37 nationally
Poured At: The Devonshire, The Lyric, The Dog & Duck
The iconic Irish stout needs no introduction. Rich and creamy with a dry finish, Guinness continues to be one of London’s most consistently ordered pints, especially in winter or in more traditional pubs.
6. BrewDog Punk IPA
Ownership: BrewDog (Independent)
Average Price: £5.64
Poured At: BrewDog Soho
A flagship beer of the British craft revolution. Hoppy, tropical, and bitter, Punk IPA has gone from disruptive outsider to an established presence in Soho’s taps, particularly in chain bars and branded venues.
7. Camden Pale Ale
Ownership: AB-InBev
Average Price: £5.59
Poured At: The Lyric, general availability
The Pale Ale cousin to Camden Hells, this beer adds some gentle fruitiness and hop zing. It’s a great middle ground for drinkers who want more than a lager but less than an IPA.
8. Beavertown Gamma Ray
Ownership: Heineken
Price Tier: £6–£7 per pint
Poured At: The Lyric, craft-focused venues
This bold, hoppy American Pale Ale rounds out Beavertown’s grip on Soho’s craft taps. Full-bodied and slightly bitter, it appeals to more experienced hop lovers.
9. London Pride (Fuller’s Ale)
Ownership: Asahi
Average Price: £5.10–£5.50
Poured At: Nellie Dean, The Harp
This amber ale is one of London’s most enduring pints. With caramel malts and subtle hops, it’s a quintessential taste of the capital—especially for those craving something traditional. Full-bodied, dependable, and proudly brewed in Chiswick.
10. Madrí Excepcional (World Lager)
Ownership: Molson Coors
Price Range: £5.50–£6.50
Poured At: Newer bars, gastro-pubs
This Spanish-style lager is brewed in the UK and gaining serious traction. Often chosen by younger drinkers, Madrí is stylish, lightly hopped, and designed for broad appeal. Its rapid rise proves how branding can create a pub juggernaut.
What These Picks Reveal About Soho’s Drinkers
Soho’s most poured pints reveal a district at the intersection of tradition and trend. Classic lagers and timeless stouts still hold firm, but the surge of session IPAs and craft-leaning lagers shows that drinkers here want freshness, flavour, and variety, without sacrificing drinkability.
What’s also clear is that ownership matters. While many of these beers have craft roots, several are now owned by multinational beverage conglomerates. This doesn’t always affect quality, but it does matter for drinkers seeking to support truly independent breweries.
Pints with a Past: Soho’s Most Iconic Pubs
In a district where change is constant, these pubs offer an enduring experience, often with surprising beer lineups:
The Lyric (37 Great Windmill St)
Style: Traditional Free House
Beer Appeal: Best range in Soho—18 to 33 taps
As Soho’s oldest free house, The Lyric walks the line between traditional pub and craft destination. Its taps rotate beers from indie London brewers like The Kernel, DEYA, and Five Points, alongside dependable lagers and ciders. You’ll also find Moretti, Camden Hells, and Guinness here, ensuring it caters to all tastes.
Why go: Friendly vibe, diverse crowd, and the ability to go from a pint of Gamma Ray to a half of real ale in one session.
The Dog & Duck (18 Bateman St)
Style: Heritage Nicholson’s Pub
Beer Appeal: Classic pints and pub pies
A Victorian masterpiece with dazzling tilework and literary ties (George Orwell once drank here). It’s part of the Nicholson’s chain, so expect a solid but traditional selection: London Pride, Nicholson’s Pale Ale, and standard draughts like Peroni and Guinness.
Why go: For lovers of pub history and pie-and-a-pint pairings.
BrewDog Soho (21 Poland St)
Style: Modern Branded Craft Bar
Beer Appeal: 56 taps of branded and guest craft
Spread across two buzzing floors, BrewDog Soho offers the Scottish brand’s full range—from Punk IPA to Hazy Jane and sour specials. A handful of guest beers rotate in, but this is primarily a brand-forward bar. The menu includes burgers, loaded fries, and wings.
Why go: For loud tunes, a high-octane vibe, and everything on Untappd.
Craft, Cider, and Continental Flair: Soho’s Expanding Pint Palette
While Soho’s top ten pints highlight the everyday favourites, they only scratch the surface of what the district’s drink scene offers. Behind the mainstays lies a diverse craft beer culture, rare real ales, expertly preserved ciders, and specialist bars celebrating Belgian and Dutch brewing artistry.
For beer lovers willing to look beyond the obvious, Soho offers some of London’s most rewarding drinking experiences.
Independent Craft Havens
As corporate craft beer brands dominate many taps across London, a handful of Soho pubs remain dedicated to championing independent brewing.
The Lyric (37 Great Windmill Street)
Mentioned earlier for its breadth, The Lyric deserves special attention for its commitment to independent breweries. Not content with just stocking headline names like Camden or Beavertown, it frequently rotates beers from:
- The Kernel Brewery (Bermondsey pioneers)
- Verdant Brewing Co. (Cornwall’s juicy IPA masters)
- Thornbridge (Derbyshire legends behind Jaipur IPA)
- Siren Craft Brew (innovative IPAs and stouts)
This ensures that even regulars rarely drink the same lineup twice. Both craft keg and traditional cask beers are kept in top condition, bridging two beer worlds seamlessly.
Insider Tip: Check the chalkboard above the bar for real-time updates on what’s pouring.
BrewDog Soho (21 Poland Street)
While BrewDog is no longer the small independent it once was, it remains a major driver of craft beer awareness in London. Soho’s outpost offers:
- 56 taps total (house and guest beers)
- Seasonal beer launches
- Limited collaboration brews
The crowd leans younger and livelier, ideal for casual nights rather than quiet sessions.
Fun Fact: BrewDog often runs “Wings Wednesday” promotions, pairing unlimited wings with selected pints.
Real Ale Sanctuaries: Cask Lovers Rejoice
In a rapidly changing city, the importance of preserving cask ale culture cannot be overstated. Thankfully, Soho boasts pubs that honour this living tradition.
The Harp (47 Chandos Place)
Technically just beyond Soho’s traditional boundary in Covent Garden, but too iconic to omit. The Harp is CAMRA-certified, proudly offering:
- Around 10 rotating cask ales
- Champion beers from independent UK brewers
- Traditional ciders and perries
Fuller’s (now owned by Asahi) owns The Harp, but management fiercely protects its reputation for guest beers and immaculately kept ale.
Why it matters: In a city awash with steel kegs, a pint of perfectly pulled cask ale remains one of London’s great joys.
The Old Coffee House (49 Beak Street)
A Soho staple with a quirky, cluttered interior. This pub uniquely serves the full range of Brodie’s Beers (East London microbrewery), known for punchy Pale Ales and experimental brews.
Expect stronger ales (sometimes 7%+ ABV) and a cosy, unfussy atmosphere.
Belgian and Dutch Beer Specialists: Continental Classics in Soho
If you prefer your pints stronger, sweeter, or funkier, Soho delivers via a select few establishments offering world-class European selections.
De Hems Dutch Cafe Bar (11 Macclesfield Street)
Once a hub for Dutch sailors and WWII resistance fighters, today De Hems is London’s only Dutch pub, offering an incredible lineup of:
- Trappist ales (Westmalle, Chimay, Rochefort)
- Lambic and Gueuze sours (Boon, 3 Fonteinen)
- Fruit beers (Liefmans, Kasteel Rouge)
There’s also a proper Dutch food menu (think bitterballen and loaded fries), making it a perfect venue for long, leisurely sessions.
The Dovetail (Clerkenwell)
Though a short walk east into Clerkenwell, The Dovetail earns a mention for its dedication to Belgian beer excellence. Expect:
- Dozens of bottled lambics, saisons, dubbels, and tripels
- Belgian comfort food classics like moules-frites
Perfect for fans seeking depth and complexity beyond the usual Soho offerings.
The ‘Crafty’ Conundrum: Knowing What’s Truly Independent
While Soho offers a lively mix of beer options, it’s worth noting that some “craft” brands are now part of global brewing giants:
BrandParent Company
Beavertown Heineken
Camden Town Brewery AB-InBev
Meantime Asahi
London Pride (Fuller’s) Asahi
This doesn’t mean these beers lack quality, but drinkers seeking to support smaller, truly independent breweries might prefer choices like:
- The Kernel (Bermondsey)
- Five Points Brewing (Hackney)
- Anspach & Hobday (Bermondsey)
Knowing the ownership story behind your pint adds another layer to conscious drinking in Soho.
Conclusion
Soho’s story is London’s story—chaotic, creative, inclusive, and constantly evolving. Its drinking scene mirrors that history: a blend of tradition and transformation, of cosy Victorian pubs and sharp-edged craft bars, of Trappist monks and daring new brewers.
Whether you’re after a perfectly poured pint of London Pride, an eye-poppingly fruity Gamma Ray, or a centuries-old Westmalle Tripel, Soho’s pint glass remains full of possibilities. Here, a drink is never just a drink—it’s a passport into the area’s soul, one sip at a time.
Next time you find yourself in Soho, venture beyond the neon. Find the beer engine hidden down a side alley. Taste a Belgian dubbel at De Hems. Let a pale ale at The Lyric wash away the day. Every pint in Soho comes with a story—you just need to listen carefully.
