The Charles Dickens, Southwark

pub details:

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location:

Southwark

address:

160 Union Street, SE1 0LH

phone:

0871 258 5293*
* calls cost 10p/minute, click here for more about 0871 numbers.

nearest stations:

Southwark London Underground station
(320m) - zone 1

Borough London Underground station
(520m) - zone 1

Bankside pier River Thames boat service
(600m)

Waterloo East railway station
(670m)

Blackfriars Millennium Pier River Thames boat service
(820m)

how to find it:

Head left out of Southwark tube station and cross Blackfriars Road at the crossroads, onto Union Street. Walk for about 5 minutes, passing the Lord Nelson (pub) on your right and crossing over Great Southwark Street. The Charles Dickens is just a little bit further down Union Street, on the left.

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nearby attraction(s):

Tate Modern (400m)

Cross Bones (430m)

Young Vic Theatre (480m)

It's safe to say Charles Dickens liked a drink and this eponymous, traditionally-minded local has the charm and character of a pub that we feel he would have felt quite at home in. The decor is somewhat woody, but there is plenty of space (even though it looks smaller from the outside). It ticks the right boxes: there's a fine range of real ales on tap, the food is decent, traditional, cheap pub nosh and the staff are friendly and service is quick. A mix of locals, students and office workers are share drinking space here, and it makes for a pub with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. There's a tad more tension in the air on a Wednesday, when one of our favourite quiz nights south of the river takes place. All in all, a compact, friendly boozer which we only wish more pubs were like. To paraphrase that Dickensian orphan boy: can we have some more of these, please?

reviewed:
05/06/2008