London Ontario Pub Tour: Four Pubs for Local Pints and British Charm

What Are the Best Pubs to Visit in London, Ontario?

Explore London, Ontario Pubs for Craft Beer, Irish Charm and Local Flavour

London Ontario Pub Tour: Four Pubs for Local Pints and British Charm explores four distinctive pubs, from contemporary beer halls to traditional Irish and British-style locals offering a taste of the Forest City one pint and one plate at a time. This guide covers where to go, what to eat and drink, and how to experience London Ontario's pub culture, with local tips and practical details.

Why Take a London Ontario Pub Tour?

Dark wood, glowing beer signs, football scarves, comfort food, and a well-poured pint all belong to the enduring appeal of a great local pub. London, Ontario, Canada may sit thousands of kilometres from the United Kingdom and Ireland, but the Forest City has developed its own collection of gathering places shaped by those rich traditions.   

This London Ontario Pub Tour explores four distinctive pubs where visitors can enjoy local craft beer, hearty food, live entertainment, and the warm social atmosphere that makes a good night out memorable. For another Canadian pub adventure across the country, check out our Ultimate St. John's Newfoundland Pub Crawl.

A good pub is defined as much by how people use it as by what hangs on its walls. It may be where friends gather to watch a football match, students share a plate of nachos, regulars arrive for trivia, or visitors compare Ontario craft beers over a tasting flight. Beertown North London, McCabe's Irish Pub and Grill, Molly Bloom's Irish Pub, and The Scot's Corner each offers their own take on what makes a local pub such a welcoming place to gather.

Key Facts Box

• Location: London, Ontario (spanning North London, Richmond Row, and downtown Dundas Street)
• Best Time to Go: Year-round; late afternoons and evenings for lively atmospheres or sunny summer afternoons for patios
• Cost Range: Moderate ($20–$50 per person depending on food and drinks)
• Time Needed: Spread across an evening or multiple weekend outings
• Accessibility Notes: Varies by venue; Beertown and The Scot's Corner offer accessible ground-level entry, while historic downtown pubs feature more compact spaces.

Craft Beer, Great Food and a Friendly Welcome at Beertown North London

Beertown London Ontario is the contemporary beer hall stop on our London Ontario Pub Tour, but for us, it is also one of our favourite places to enjoy dinner and drinks.  It combines an extensive selection of Canadian craft beer with a varied menu, plenty of plant-based options, a relaxed atmosphere, and the kind of friendly welcome that makes you feel like a regular.

Beertown does not attempt to reproduce an old British local. Instead, it takes the social spirit of the pub and places it inside a bright, contemporary beer hall built around choice. The large central bar, rows of taps, chalkboard-style beer lists, white subway tile, exposed ductwork, and Edison bulbs give the space a polished industrial character. In addition, booths, high stools, and long tables accommodate everything from casual drinks with friends to larger groups, while large-screen televisions make it easy to follow a game without overwhelming the room.

For me, the beer selection is a big part of the attraction. I'm a stout drinker, so a good pint of Guinness always works, but I also love discovering Canadian craft beer. I enjoyed the Milton Ontario-based Third Moon Brewing's Serpent's Tears Oatmeal Stout throughout the summer, while Mill Street's Cobblestone Stout remains a year-round favourite. For anyone curious about different beer styles, a flight is an easy way to compare lagers, wheat beers, sours, stouts, and IPAs before settling on a full pint.

The food is another reason we keep coming back to Beertown and a big part of why it belongs on our London Ontario Pub Tour.  Burgers, sandwiches, and shareable starters sit alongside dishes influenced by several cuisines, including vegetarian and plant-based choices. The Plant-Based Beertown Salad is one of the dishes I enjoy most, while another top choice is the Plant-Based Beertown Pad Thai. The menu makes it easy for people with different tastes and dietary preferences to enjoy a meal together.

Outside, the patio provides another way to enjoy Beertown during warmer weather. Wooden furniture, broad umbrellas, strings of lights, and planters filled with seasonal flowers create an inviting outdoor space. We enjoy sitting outside with a beer and watching the evening unfold, while the lively bar and big screens provide a completely different energy inside. Most importantly for us, the staff are part of what makes Beertown special. They know us and greet us by name, a small but meaningful touch that makes the restaurant feel less like somewhere we happen to visit and more like one of our local favourites.

McCabe's Irish Pub and Grill: Pints, Sport and Traditional Pub Atmosphere

McCabe's marks the shift from contemporary beer hall to an Irish pub on Richmond Street. Its green frontage, brickwork, and prominent Guinness, Harp, and Kilkenny branding announce its allegiance even before the door opens. Once inside, the light drops and the surroundings become warmer and more enclosed. Dark wooden tables, curved partitions, amber stained-glass-style lamps, flags, neon beer signs, and layers of pub decoration give McCabe's Irish Pub and Grill the settled appearance of a place designed for cozy evenings and long conversations rather than quick meals.

Multiple televisions make keeping up with the score possible, yet McCabe's does not feel like a generic sports bar. The woodwork, warm lighting, and accumulation of traditional memorabilia give it personality. In particular, during a major match or a busy weekend, the closely arranged seating and sightlines to the screens can produce exactly the collective energy people seek from a downtown pub. At quieter times, those same wooden divisions break the larger room into smaller pockets where intimate conversation remains possible.

The menu stays close to recognizable pub comfort food, presenting an enticing mix of Canadian and Irish favourites. Wings, burgers, sandwiches, starters, and shareable plates suit groups that want something filling between pints rather than a formal meal. This is food designed to keep pace with the evening: familiar, substantial, and easily divided when several people are gathered around the table. We particularly enjoy the pub nachos, which are served in huge portions and are perfect for sharing.  In addition, rotating food and drink specials and live music make McCabe's particularly attractive, although current prices and promotions should always be confirmed before visiting.

Molly Bloom's Irish Pub: Irish Character, Live Music and Courtyard Charm

From McCabe's, we continue along the famous Richmond Row to Molly Bloom's Irish Pub, the most eccentric and theatrical stop on our London Ontario Pub Tour. Step inside and you're immediately surrounded by exposed brick, dark wood panelling, rich red upholstery, and an assortment of Irish décor, beer signs, football memorabilia, and quirky curiosities. Even the cheeky "Wankers Corner" sign near the stage makes it clear that Molly's doesn't take itself too seriously.

We visited in the evening, when the warm glow of soft interior lights gave the pub an especially welcoming atmosphere. The long semi-circular bar, closely arranged booths, and stool seating create an intimate feeling when it's quiet, but the room can become exuberantly lively as the evening gathers momentum. In addition, televisions make it easy to follow a soccer match or other sporting event, while live music, karaoke, trivia, and other entertainment give Molly Bloom's Irish Pub a stronger nightlife identity than the other stops.

Of course, a proper pub visit calls for food and a pint. We tucked into an enormous basket of nachos and a mountain of waffle fries, both generous portions that are perfect for sharing. Sean enjoyed a pint of Kilkenny, while I went with the classic Guinness. There is something particularly satisfying about sitting around a pub table with good food in front of you, a cold pint in hand, and a soccer game playing on the television.

Finally, the enclosed courtyard patio is almost a second pub of its own. Brick paving, stone-faced walls, wooden tables, metal chairs, strings of bulbs, and glowing signs create a sheltered outdoor space with its own bar and taps. Even when the temperature drops, the patio retains the colourful personality of the interior. It is also a fun place to experience the annual CPKC Holiday Train as Christmas approaches.

The Scot's Corner: A Traditional British Local in Downtown London

Tucked along Dundas Street in downtown London, Ontario, The Scot's Corner is a warm, character-filled little escape from the noise and fast pace of the city outside its doors. More than any other stop on this London Ontario Pub Tour, The Scot's Corner evokes the feeling of a traditional Scottish-style pub. In particular, there is something wonderfully unpretentious about the space. The long, narrow room is lined with honey-coloured wood, worn tables, high-backed stools, brass rails, and a substantial bar crowded with taps that serves as the true heart of the room, surrounded by familiar faces, clinking glasses, good food, and the comfortable buzz of people catching up.

Stained-glass-style pendant lamps and strings of exposed bulbs cast a warm glow beneath the dark ceiling. As a result, the atmosphere feels comfortable rather than polished, and the marks on the old wooden tables seem less like imperfections and more like part of the pub's history. Its identity is broadly British and Canadian rather than exclusively Scottish: framed jerseys, football scarves, trophies, flags, old beer signs, and a red telephone-box feature share the walls. Multiple televisions establish sport as an important part of the room, providing a natural gathering point when a big game is on, while the draught lineup reinforces its cross-Atlantic character. Guinness, Kilkenny, Innis & Gunn, and Tennent's appear alongside Canadian selections and the house Scot's Corner Lager.

The weekly schedule gives the pub a recurring social rhythm that keeps regulars returning. We especially love visiting on Tuesday evenings for the Irish Folk Jam Session, when musicians gather at the back of the restaurant with guitars, fiddles, flutes, and other instruments. On Thursday nights, trivia brings another kind of energy to the room, while live music, karaoke, wing nights, and weekend brunch drinks mean there's always a reason to come back.

And then there's the food. Portions are generous and comforting—the kind of hearty fare suited to a proper neighbourhood pub, complete with a Scottish twist. A favorite order might pair a toastie and fries with a pint of Guinness, or a classic BLT with a glass of white wine. Other memorable plates include an impressively substantial four-cheese omelette served with fries and toast, alongside traditional British favourites like Bangers & Mash, Haggis, Tatties & Neeps, and Forfar Bridie.

Outside, the patio along Dundas Street is another reason to keep returning during warm weather. Enclosed by wooden wine barrels, a leafy trellis with lattice panels, and greenery, it feels surprisingly removed from downtown traffic. 

Frequently Asked Questions About the London Ontario Pub Tour

Is this a walkable pub crawl?
Beertown North London lies apart from the other three, so this is better understood as a four-pub tour rather than a completely walkable crawl. Begin with a meal and tasting flight at Beertown, then use public transit or a rideshare before continuing toward Richmond Street and Dundas Street.

What are the best drinks to try on the tour?
The four pubs offer plenty of variety, from Ontario craft beer and tasting flights to Guinness, Kilkenny, Irish reds, ciders, and house lagers. Stout drinkers will find familiar choices, while a beer flight at Beertown is a good way to sample several styles before choosing a full pint.

Are these pubs family-friendly or student-friendly?
Yes! Beertown offers an inclusive menu and family-friendly dining, the Richmond Street spots (McCabe's and Molly Bloom's) are popular with Western University students and sports fans, and The Scot's Corner provides a cozy, community-focused neighborhood local vibe.

Should I check for weekly events before visiting?
Yes, weekly specials, trivia, live music, and karaoke schedules can change. Check each pub's current website or social pages before setting out. 

Planning Your London Ontario Pub Tour

The sequence works best when geography and atmosphere are considered together. Beertown North London is the outlier, making it a sensible place to begin with food and a measured tasting flight. From there, transit or a rideshare can connect the group with McCabe's and Molly Bloom's along Richmond Row. The Scot's Corner lies farther downtown on Dundas Street and provides a natural change of scenery.

Those travelling from Western University do not need to treat the route as a challenge to finish in one evening. McCabe's and Molly Bloom's can form one Richmond Street outing, while Beertown or The Scot's Corner can become separate experiences. In fact, the four pubs are distinctive enough that visiting them on different occasions may provide a better opportunity to appreciate each one.

Most importantly, a pub tour is about atmosphere and companionship rather than the number of drinks consumed. Share tasting flights and food, include non-alcoholic choices, plan the journey home in advance, and use public transit, a taxi, or a rideshare when moving between different parts of London.

London Ontario Pub Tour: Four Pubs, Four Different Experiences

Taken together, the four pubs on our tour reveal that London, Ontario does not have a single interpretation of British or Irish pub culture. Whether your evening begins with an Ontario craft flight at Beertown, gathers speed beneath the lights of Richmond Row at McCabe's or Molly Bloom's, or ends over comfort food and folk music at The Scot's Corner, London proves that a good local pint is never only about what is in the glass. It is also about the room, the table, and the people who share it.

Cheers!

Note: Menus, specials, beer selections, and entertainment schedules can change. Before visiting, consult each pub's current website or social media pages for the latest information.

London Ontario Pub Tour: Four Pubs for Local Pints and British Charm

Explore four London, Ontario pubs for craft beer, Irish charm, hearty food, live music, and classic local pub atmosphere.