The Bull and Last Kentish Town London bar interior

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Gastropub

The Bull and Last

A Victorian corner gastropub on the edge of Hampstead Heath, rated among the country's best, with a kitchen worth the trek north.

★ 4.5 $$$ Kentish Town, London A north London Sunday roast, a Heath-side dinner, a serious wine list

Published February 3, 2026 · by the barsforKings editorial team

The Pitch

The Bull and Last holds a Victorian corner on Highgate Road in Kentish Town, near the south end of Hampstead Heath and a few minutes from Gospel Oak station. It has long been one of the most decorated gastropubs in the country, a regular on the Top 50 Gastropubs list.

This is a destination kitchen that still works as a pub. The ground floor pours cask ale and runs a serious wine list, while the food draws people across north London, with the Scotch egg and the Sunday roast as signatures. Come hungry and book ahead. Skip it as a casual drop-in on a Sunday, because the tables go fast.

At a Glance

Address168 Highgate Road, Kentish Town, London NW5 1QS

NeighbourhoodKentish Town, London

Nearest transitGospel Oak (Overground), about 4 minutes; Kentish Town nearby

Price Range$$$

Drinks specialtyCask ale, an extensive wine list, modern British food

ReservationsBook for tables, especially Sunday; walk in for the bar

HoursOpen daily for lunch and dinner, with Sunday roasts. Check the official site for current times.

Best forA north London Sunday roast, a Heath-side dinner, a serious wine list

Plan Your Visit

The Bull and Last sits on Highgate Road near the south end of Hampstead Heath. Book ahead for a table, above all on Sundays, and walk in for a pint at the bar.

Get Directions Ask Our Team

168 Highgate Road, Kentish Town, London NW5 1QS

The Room

The ground floor keeps its Victorian pub bones, a proper bar with the buzz of a busy local, while the upstairs dining room handles the longer, calmer dinners.

Kentishtowner has called it the highest-rated gastropub in north London. The room reads as a pub that happens to run a restaurant-grade kitchen, which is the appeal.

The Drinks

The bar keeps cask ale and a well-built drinks range, but the list to study is the wine. The Bull and Last runs an extensive cellar pitched to match the kitchen, which sets it apart from a standard local.

Order a pint at the bar before your table, then move to the wine list for dinner. With a kitchen this serious, a bottle chosen to pair with the roast or the charcuterie is the move rather than sticking to beer all night.

What to Order

The Scotch egg

A signature that built the pub's name. The order to start with at the bar.

A pint of cask ale

The bar keeps a good cask range. The right pre-dinner pint.

A bottle from the wine list

The cellar is built to match the kitchen. Choose to pair with your main.

The Sunday roast

One of north London's most-recommended roasts. Book ahead for it.

The Crowd and Vibe

The Bull and Last draws Hampstead and Kentish Town locals, Heath walkers, and food-led visitors who travel for the kitchen. It runs busiest at weekends and on Sundays, when the roast pulls a crowd.

The downstairs bar keeps a lively local buzz while the upstairs room stays calmer. Sundays are the peak, so plan around them.

What Regulars Say

The kitchen is the draw. Regulars and critics rate it among the best gastropubs in the country, with the Top 50 Gastropubs list a repeat fixture.
Kentishtowner has called it the highest-rated gastropub in north London, a line locals echo.
The Scotch egg and the Sunday roast get singled out again and again, with booking ahead the standing advice.

Who It Is For

A north London roast

One of the area's most-recommended Sunday roasts, worth the booking.

A Heath-side dinner

A serious kitchen and wine list a short walk from Hampstead Heath.

Skip as a casual drop-in

Tables, above all on Sundays, go fast. Plan ahead rather than chancing it.

More across the city in our best bars in London guide and our look at the gastropub versus bar question. Searching nearby? Try gastropubs near me, browse the full London Bar Guide, or see more Hampstead bars and London pubs.

Inside the Bar

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Sources
The Bull and Last official site (2026); Top 50 Gastropubs listing; Kentishtowner (north London gastropub feature); Hot Dinners and Andy Hayler reviews.

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Photos via Google Places. Flemming Ernst · Elad Leev · Lisa Ely · The Bull and Last · Simon Crow · Erwin Tirta · Taz · Kishan Patel