The Holly Bush

The Holly Bush sits up a flight of steps on Holly Mount, hidden in the back lanes above Hampstead High Street and a short climb from Hampstead station. The Grade II listed pub dates to around 1807 and is run by Fuller's. It is a warren of small rooms with open fires, wood panelling, and a settled, low-lit calm. Time Out regularly names it among London's most atmospheric historic pubs.

This is a pub for a long, cozy sit, especially in winter. Hampstead locals, Heath walkers, and visitors who tracked it down the lanes fill the rooms. Anyone after cocktails or a buzzy evening should look downhill. Anyone who wants a fire, a cask ale, and a proper roast in a 200-year-old room will be hard to beat here.

The pub spreads through a series of small, connected rooms, all dark wood, etched glass, and worn floors. Open fires run in the colder months and give the place its reputation. There is no large open hall, just nooks built for settling in.

An upstairs dining room handles the food side, brighter and calmer than the busy bar below. The whole building feels of its age in the best way, a survivor of old Hampstead the refits never reached.

Expect the full Fuller's cask range, including London Pride and seasonal ales, kept in good condition. A pint runs about £6.50, a glass of wine from £7.50. The wine list is stronger than a typical pub, suited to the dining trade.

Order a cask ale by the fire, or pair the roast with a glass of red upstairs on a Sunday. Reviewers on Google Maps single out the roast and the atmosphere. Cocktails are not the focus; the cellar and the rooms are.

Weekend afternoons draw Heath walkers, families, and couples up the lanes for a fireside pint. The mood is warm and unhurried, leaning older and more residential than the high-street crowd.

Regulars on r/london rate it the classic Hampstead pub to bring visitors, especially in winter. Weekday evenings are quiet, the rooms at their cozy best.

• "The best winter pub in London, those fires and little rooms are perfect." — r/london
• "Gorgeous historic Fuller's pub, the Sunday roast is worth the climb." — Google review (n=2,300+)
• "A proper old Hampstead pub that has kept its character. Book for lunch." — Google review

• ✓ A fireside pint on a cold day
• ✓ A long Sunday roast in a historic room
• ✓ Showing visitors the old Hampstead
• ✗ Avoid if you want cocktails or a lively late night

Sources: The Holly Bush official site (2026-05); Fuller's; Time Out London; r/london; Google Maps reviews (n=2,300+).