Greenwich pubs

The Cutty Sark, 4-7 Ballast Quay, SE10 9PD

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Confusingly, this is not one of the pubs nearest to the eponymous tatty relic of Britain's weak-tea-powered Empire. You have to take a turn about ten minutes to the east of the boat, passing two other pubs and the old London Underground power station on the way. But it's worth it. A glorious three-storeyed boozer with fantastic views along the river, excellent food and a solid selection of beers, it's definitely a great pub for long summer evenings and spectacular sunsets. Occasionally holds barbecues outside as well. Every so often the bar staff get a bit too enthusiastic with the music, but a gentle word easily sorts that out. Arrive early to bag the big bay window on the first floor.

The Greenwich Inn, 17 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8JL

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Immensely friendly no-frills boozer, with excellent bar staff and chatty locals. TV limited to terrestrial channels, limited beer range, food occasionally served, pool table lurking in the middle of the bar. Live music (jazz etc) on Sunday nights. Laid back atmosphere, and for a limited time only, the fascinating sight of a mechanical digger seemingly teleported into a giant hole in the road outside.

Greenwich Union, 56 Royal Hill, Greenwich, SE10 8RT

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This is one of three pubs that lie in close proximity on this charming street. This pub is the outlet for the local Meantime microbrewery and the beers are delicious, the perfect antidote to the insipid p*ss that passes for beer in many other pubs. You can even sample a taster before you buy yourself pint. The pub itself occupies a tastefully converted period building. A small beer garden can be reached via the conservatory. Francophile food and an easy going vibe make this a top place.

The Spanish Galleon, 48 Greenwich Church Street, SE10 9BL

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This is a large Shepherd Neame pub lying in a prominent location at the heart of Greenwich. Given its situation it could so easily be an overpriced tourist trap. It isn't. On entering there are bar rooms off to the left and right flanking a central bar. The left hand room is extended at the rear by a distinctly un-pub-like conservatory occupied by a small group of pensioners. The beer is good and the food, whilst not likely to win any gourmet awards, is decent pub fayre. Despite some fleeting glimpses of Bank Holiday sunshine it wasn't exactly full of punters. This can probably be attributed to the intense competition with other pubs and bars that exist in Greenwich rather than any deficiency on the part of this establishment. We found it to be a nice spot for a quiet drink.

Trafalgar Tavern, 6 Park Row, SE10 9NW

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Large Eighteenth Century building that has decided to park itself up to its knees in the river. On days of particularly high tides, when the Thames laps over the pavement in front of the old Naval College, it seems like the wake of a particularly hyperactive pleasure cruiser would be enough to send water slopping through the pub's windows, which would certainly be a novel selling point. Fancy wooden interiors, comfy leather chairs and a seemingly endless downstairs make this a favourite both with tourists and young Londoners out for a day's amusement. It has a decent selection of beers, does a full range of food and threatens some sort of music/discotheque nights for energetic people with big trousers and trendy hair. In recent years it also seems to have increasingly sprawled out of doors, and now takes up a fair deal of the riverside promenade too. This is particularly appealing on warm, sunny days, and I suspect half of London joins me in thinking that. Only five minutes' walk east of the Cutty Sark (the ship, not the pub) it's well worth the effort.

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