Pubs in Primrose Hill: Regent’s Park Road and below the hill

Straight answer first: only one of the pubs people file under Primrose Hill sits on Regent’s Park Road itself, and that is the Queen’s. The others are a few minutes away on Gloucester Avenue and Chalcot Road, below the hill. Chalk Farm is the nearest station for most of them. Summer weekends fill these places fast, so go early or go midweek.

The Queen’s, 49 Regent’s Park Road, NW1

Start here. The Queen’s is a neo-classical corner building where Regent’s Park Road meets St George’s Terrace, facing the hill. CAMRA dates it to about 1854 and calls it a rather grand Victorian pub. It is a Young’s pub with a gastro menu, a dining room upstairs and a terrace overlooking the hill.

The terrace is the reason to come. A refurbishment in January 2025 changed the opening and food hours, so check before you set out. Listings mention cask ale, a real fire, and a welcome for dogs and families. To eat, reviewers pick out the pork and apple sausage roll and the Scotch egg, and the menu has also featured bangers and mash and fish and chips. Check the current menu, as dishes change.

The Lansdowne, 90 Gloucester Avenue, NW1

On the corner of Dumpton Place, the Lansdowne has been a Primrose Hill regular since 1992 and is described by DesignMyNight as one of north London’s original gastropubs, in a Georgian building. It is known for pizza and a Sunday roast that draws a crowd, so book if you want a table. The menu is seasonal British and Mediterranean, and prices sit in the ££ band. Dogs are welcome.

The Engineer, 65 Gloucester Avenue, NW1

On the corner of Princess Road, the Engineer is named after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, according to its own blurb on Tagvenue. The draw is a walled beer garden with a pergola, plus seasonal food. Londonist calls it a gastropub that does not scrimp on beer. It is dog friendly. It sits at the dearer end of the group, so expect to pay more than at the others.

The Princess of Wales, 22 Chalcot Road, NW1

Londonist goes as far as calling this the best pub in Primrose Hill, and it is easy to see the pitch: three floors, dark wood, and a courtyard garden with its own fake Banksy. Londonist says the pub is named after Alexandra, wife of Edward VII. Its own listing text describes it as independent and family run. Sunday roasts come with live jazz, and there is a Tuesday quiz from 21:00. If you like a Bloody Mary, DesignMyNight points to the house-infused vodkas.

The Pembroke Castle, 150 Gloucester Avenue, NW1

The most solid choice for a big group and a long afternoon. DesignMyNight says it dates from the late 1860s and was one of the Camden Castles, first used by railway workers. CAMRA says it reopened in 2014 after renovation and lists Doom Bar and rotating cask ales. There is a garden with wooden gazebos and a heated outdoor area, plus burgers, pies, Sunday roasts and sport on TV. It is an Asset of Community Value.

• Hours listed: Monday to Wednesday 12:00 to 23:00, Thursday to 23:30, Friday and Saturday to midnight, Sunday to 22:00.
• Food is listed until 22:00.
• It is about five minutes on foot from Chalk Farm.

How to work it

For the view, take the Queen’s terrace. For a proper Sunday lunch with a booking, try the Lansdowne. For a garden with a story, the Princess of Wales. For a big group and a game, the Pembroke Castle. Walk it in a loop from Chalk Farm and you pass most of them without needing a map. Hours and menus move around, so check each pub’s own site before you set off.