The Horseshoe

The Horseshoe sits on Heath Street in the centre of Hampstead, a minute from Hampstead station and the foot of the Heath. It carries real craft credentials, as Camden Town Brewery began brewing in its basement in 2010 before moving to larger premises, a story the brewery and Time Out have both recounted. Today it runs as an open-plan gastropub with a craft beer focus.

This is a pub for good food and a well-chosen pint, not a historic snug. Hampstead locals and Heath walkers fill the bright single room for lunch and early evenings. Anyone after a low-lit traditional pub should head up the lanes to the Holly Bush. Anyone who wants craft beer and a strong kitchen in central Hampstead will be well served.

The Horseshoe is one large, open-plan room with big windows onto Heath Street, a contrast to the warren-style pubs nearby. The look is modern and pared back, built around the bar and the dining tables.

The brightness and space make it a daytime and early-evening room rather than a late-night den. The brewing history lives in the basement where Camden Town Brewery first fired up, a detail the staff are happy to share.

The taps lead with craft beer, a rotating range that reflects the pub's brewing roots, alongside a tidy wine list and a few cocktails. A pint of craft runs about £7, mains around £18. The kitchen is a genuine draw, not an afterthought.

Order whatever is fresh on the craft taps and pair it with the food. Reviewers on Google Maps praise the beer range and the kitchen while noting prices sit at the higher Hampstead end. This is craft-and-plates, not a cask traditionalist's pub.

Weekend lunches draw Hampstead families and Heath walkers, with a steady early-evening local crowd through the week. The open room keeps the mood social and conversational rather than rowdy.

Regulars on r/london point to the craft range and the food as the reasons to choose it over the more traditional Hampstead pubs. It reads as a modern local that earns its prices.

• "Where Camden Town Brewery started, and the beer list still shows it." — r/london
• "Great craft selection and the food is a cut above. Pricey but worth it." — Google review (n=900+)
• "Bright, modern, and friendly. Good stop after the Heath." — Google review

• ✓ Craft beer with a strong kitchen
• ✓ A weekend lunch after the Heath
• ✓ An early-evening local in central Hampstead
• ✗ Avoid if you want a traditional snug or a cheap round

Sources: The Horseshoe official site (2026-05); Camden Town Brewery history; Time Out London; r/london; Google Maps reviews (n=900+).