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    The Lion

    3.8 (20 reviews)
    ModeratePubs
    Open 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    The Lion Photos

    THE LION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Hipster
    Loud
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - The Lion

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    Matt D.

    The Lion is a good halfway point to stop when the relaxed atmosphere of Stoke Newington High Street gets a bit much. I know that browsing through book stores and clothes shops can be exhausting, so what I suggest is taking a break and stopping for a pint at The Lion. The pub offers such entertainment as quiz nights, music and live sport. It is a particularly good place to watch a big game as it has a good English pub feel. The pub is a cosy place to relax in winter, and for the hotter days there is a beer garden. The range of drinks is all pretty standard and there isn't a food menu. I think the best thing about it is location.

    Katy I.

    Despite being at the top of my road and the closest pub to my house, I don't consider The Lion to be my local. I've been here a few times but it's no Cheers and nobody knows my name. they have a big screen TV, it's very large and they have a late licence and music nights. I think it caters well to the older Stoke Newingtonites who are a bit passed it to go out in nearby Shoreditch but still like to go out of an evening for a cheeky pint. There is so much competition in terms of pubs in this area but what sets The Lion apart is their bring your own policy for food. This is a fantastic idea, instead of trying to compete with nearby gastro pubs like The Three Crowns or The Prince, they allow people to order in takeaway from all the local take out spots. I'm sure you could even bring your own lunch box if you wanted to. They also have an outdoor heated patio, friendly staff and even serve cocktails which seems a bit Only Fools and Horses in this kind of environment but is a nice touch nevertheless.

    Qype User (filimb…)

    The Lion serves Black Sheep beer, and a very nice pint it is too. They also had one from the southwest, Traveller? Begins with a T. All the usual suspects. There is a fairly large outside bit where smokers can congregate, and some nice padded leather seats to sit in if you're quick enough. The bar is large but feels very intimate, nice wooden surrounds. I saw Stewart Lee perform here, on the regular comedy night, he is very funny, but i had to put my name on a returns list, so i was sitting at the very front. He has put on weight, so that Richard herring and him have almost changed people (if only herring would have a daughter named Leanne) but he is still the funniest man you can be in a room with. He did this wonderful bit about an old comedy record from the states he'd never listened to but was nevertheless his inspiration. Very very good. Worth the fiver.

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    15 years ago

    Yeah this place is cool, pretty girls behind the bar, and the beers good too.

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    Review Highlights - The Lion

    The Lion is a great bar to go to, with a very relaxed atmosphere and friendly people.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    The Duke of Wellington

    The Duke of Wellington

    4.2(16 reviews)
    1.1 miDe Beauvoir
    £

    There seems to be some sort of magical effect in operation at The Duke of Wellington: Whenever a…read moreseat is opened up, whether at a table or at the bar, it is instantly filled, and yet one never can tell from whence the people come -- the place never seems to be crowded, and no one ever seems to be waiting for a chair. It's almost as if the punters are a liquid, flowing in at the same rate as they flow out, always finding their own level. That said, I found The Duke of Wellington to be pleasant but entirely unexceptional. The interior decor is minimalist to the point of nonexistence; the exterior is unremarkable, and there is nothing to recommend a visit to its Dalston location.

    On Sunday I meet a few friends in Hackney for a drink at the Wellington. I had not checked out…read morethis pub before but really enjoyed it. The pub feels part of the neighbourhood and I noticed people taking advantage of the comfy chairs and reading the paper while sipping a pint. The pub is not overbearing and has a low key vibe that I really enjoyed. There is outdoor seating and despite the chill people were taking advantage of that space as well. As far as pubs go, this was a great place to grab a drink and chat with friends. The prices were great and the drinks flowing. I'm not sure if they offer pub grub, I was happy with a few drinks, especially since, as we sat chatting there was talk about turning our get together into a pub crawl. To be honest, I had to nix that idea because after a few minutes in this comfy friendly pub, I was perfectly happy enjoying the Wellington for the evening!

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    The Duke of Wellington
    The Duke of Wellington
    The Duke of Wellington

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    The Hunter S Pub - The outside & bar of The Hunter S

    The Hunter S Pub

    3.6(19 reviews)
    1.1 miDe Beauvoir
    ££

    I have no idea what the prior incarnation of this pub was like, but the current one certainly ticks…read moreall the boxes for me: kitschy taxidermy, spectacular ceiling metalwork and chandelier, absurd art in the toilets, and one of the better Sunday roasts I've had in London. Oh, and they have a television, which I probably wouldn't have noticed except for the fact that Murray/Federer match was on and everyone was enthralled. On one hand, my lamb roast was absolutely beautiful. At about £14 (if memory serves), it was the right amount of food to be heartily satisfying. The meat was perfectly tender and kicked up a notch by the mint sauce which came with it. I also sampled some of my tablemates' horseradish sauce and was impressed by the kick - they don't mess around! Meanwhile, I made the mistake of ordering the gazpacho. I really couldn't distinguish it much from just straight-up tomato juice with some salt in it. I'm used to my gazpacho having some consistency and thickness to it. This was watery and unexciting. Even throwing all of the garnishes in (diced tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers) didn't help that much. I probably shouldn't have ended my meal with this, as it was utterly underwhelming. At this point, I was far too full to consider actually enjoying a dessert, but they do offer a cheese board that caught my eye. Another time - definitely glad to have this joint as a wonderful Sunday roast alternative after climbing at The Castle!

    Loved it. Great room. The Sunday roast was good. The Art was saucy. The service could have been…read morebetter. But I work in a fancy Canadian restaurant so I don't know what's expected here.

    Photos
    The Hunter S Pub - Art

    Art

    The Hunter S Pub - Very nice ceiling

    Very nice ceiling

    The Hunter S Pub

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    The Alma - Sat night x

    The Alma

    3.8(23 reviews)
    1.0 miNewington Green, De Beauvoir, Stoke Newington
    ££

    I have found it. The pub of my dreams. Movie themed, reasonably priced drinks AND board games. What…read moremore could you want in a pub?! Literally I could spend hours and hours walking round this pub looking at all the posters and quotes layering the walls. Highlights are definitely the Marvel wall and don't even get me started on the Elvis toilet and the female icon wall in the toilet (yey). Sadly, we didn't have a full meal but we did try the chips and cheese and the apple crumble which we're both good. Shout out to their creamy homemade mayonnaise, seriously give it a try! I will be back to try their roast and spend another merry Sunday afternoon here.

    The Alma is the kind of pub which puts the other, more mediocre locals to shame. Even from the…read moreoutside it is easy to appreciate the atmosphere the owners have cleverly created as large round windows are filled with candles and framed by purple velvet drapes. Inside this great style is continued as The Alma makes a use of its cavernous structure to create several distinct seating areas littered with sofa's and old wooden tables. A walled patio area outside offers even more seating as well as a bit of comfort for smokers. The Alma also fancies itself a bit 'gastro' and has a great food menu which changes regularly. Though I found it a bit expensive for breakfast, my Eggs Benedict were lovely. With food like this and such a buzzing atmosphere The Alma is a must try for everyone!

    Photos
    The Alma - Good times

    Good times

    The Alma - The Hump

    The Hump

    The Alma - Spirits

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    Spirits

    The Snooty Fox - Our Wine Club is the first tuesday night of every month, where we disuss, taste & enjoy (not to forget) Our lovely nibbles.

    The Snooty Fox

    3.9(33 reviews)
    1.0 miNewington Green, Highbury
    ££

    Lovely pub. Great for a chilled out drink with a couple of mates as it has a relaxed vibe and…read moreplenty of seating available. The open kitchen instantly attracted me as you can watch an endless parade of goodies on their way to food heaven. So when I arrived, I had great expectations for the Snooty fox Sunday roast, unfortunately this meal looked better than it tasted. I had 'the full Biffter', a Sunday lunch with a slice of everything. I found the meat to be a bit bland but plentiful although extremely fatty. It would have been nice to have more veg to balance it out (you only get one roast potato and one Yorkshire pudding to accompany a small square of cauliflower cheese and greens). Customer service on this day was also a little bit of a let down. Our server was rather brusque with us on a number of instances and when we asked for some extra horseradish sauce, brought us a half used individual portion pot from another table rather than refilling the one from our table. Luck of the draw? Maybe. But I'm not sure I'll be returning to find out.

    This pub has been kind of sort of my local for a while, despite being between 15-30 minutes walk…read morefrom where I have been living the last 9 years. It is certainly the pub I have visited most often, so I am delighted that is finally a geographical local, not just a sentimental one. The beer festivals they hold every few months are the highlights from a beer point of view, but they are a reliable source of quality ale all year around. Otter Ale, a favourite of mine from Devon, is their regular ale (house ale). Their other ales are ever changing, including one specified guest which carries a 20p reduction for CAMRA members. They also serve proper cider. Keen interest in music from the pictures adorning the walls to the juke box to the, at times unusual, DJs that perform. People are occasionally foxy but never snooty at the Snooty Fox!

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    The Snooty Fox
    The Snooty Fox
    The Snooty Fox

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    The Cellars

    The Cellars

    3.7(27 reviews)
    0.8 miNewington Green, De Beauvoir, Stoke Newington
    ££

    First time having a proper Sunday roast in London, and this place really set the bar HIGH…read more Such an incredible environment, first off. The owners are extremely friendly and they helped me pick the best dish for my first experience. I couldn't be more happy with my experience. The waitstaff made sure I was happy and taken care of the entirety of my visit. The Cellars can take ALL of my money any day of the week. 10/10 for me.

    Mmmmm ROAST. Having heard lots about the Cellars from many people I finally took the journey across…read moretown to give it a try and it was well worth the journey. It was a lovely sunny day so we decided to sit outside on one of the benches (yes this was in October!) we did venture inside too and they have a huge dining room area and bar with plenty of room for seating and standing on a busier night. The waiters and owner were very friendly guiding us through the menu and prompting us that there was a large table of 24 nearly ready to order and we should get in quickly. Luckily we knew exactly what we wanted: ROAST, so we ordered the beef with a side of wine and a beer. Yum. The food came very quickly and piping hot through. Our beef was cooked to perfection - medium rare and the veg to compliment was delicious. Especially the roasties. I did have to ask for extra gravy but that's just me. The only think I will say is I felt the roast was a bit lacking in size but you really couldn't argue with the quality of what was served so I was happy to pay the price of £14.50. Overall we had a lovely afternoon and I will definitely be back to try more of their menu.

    Photos
    The Cellars
    The Cellars
    The Cellars

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    The Lion - pubs - Updated May 2026

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