Prospect of Whitby

Pepys and Dickens regularly dropped by for literary inspiration, painter JMW Turner surveyed the scene and Judge Jeffreys took time out from his grisly duties at this legendary drinking den hard by the Thames foreshore. Built around 1520 and originally dubbed the Devil's Tavern, the Prospect is now a must-visit for tourists seeking an atmospheric slice of ‘olde London town'. Unbeatable waterfront views are a given, and the pub also has a full quota of blackened timbers, bow windows and flagstone floors – not to mention a 400-year-old pewter counter where staff pull pints of Fuller's London Pride, Bombardier and other big-name brews. There are plenty of good-value wines too, while the menu has everything you'd expect from a traditional British pub, with headings such as ‘the fish and chip shop' alongside ploughman's, lasagne and so on.