The Best London Bridge and Tower Bridge Bars

25th June 2019 Chris Clark London Life

East London is one of the most exciting and vibrant parts of the city, renowned for its thriving multiculturalism, vibrant neighbourhoods and most importantly, the nightlife. There are an abundance of bars, pubs and clubs near Tower Bridge and London Bridge which you should definitely take advantage of if you live in urbanest’s Tower Bridge student accommodation. So, if you’re looking for a good night out here are our recommendations of local pubs and bars around Tower Bridge.

The Water Poet

If your priorities are beer gardens, dining rooms and craft beer, then the Water Poet is one for your list. This is the definition of a fashionable East London pub and offers one of the best Sunday Roasts in London. But what really earns this pub a spot on this prestigious list is the fantastic beer garden, which has a massive seating area, fairy lights and outside bar, making it a perfect venue for events. It’s impossible to not be happy sitting with a cold drink in the sunshine and this is without a doubt the only place to do it.

Address: 9-11 Folgate Street, Spitalfields, London E1 6BX

16-minute walk from urbanest Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge Bars - Water Poet
Image courtesy of waterpoet.co.uk

The Vault

Second on our list of tower bridge bars is the Vault, which is actually located directly under Tower Bridge. This space was once used as a storage room for coal in the 17th century, which would then fuel the opening and closing of the bridge. Nowadays it makes an intimate venue for an event or a date. This hidden gem boasts beers, wines and cocktails, as well as traditional British dishes if you’re feeling peckish. Prices are reasonable as well, with pizzas around £8.

Address: Tower Bridge, Shad Thames, London SE1 2UP

14-minute walk from urbanest Tower Bridge

Related – Coventry University London Student Accommodation

The George

As the oldest London bridge pub, the George is the only surviving galleried London coaching inn, where horse-drawn coaches would stop to refresh. It’s situated near to Borough market, so if you’re tired of gorging on street food it’s a convenient stop full of gins, wines and cocktails. This pub also offers home cooked food including a couple of vegan options to cater for everyone.

Address: The George Inn Yard, 77 Borough High St, London SE1 1NH

23-minute walk from urbanest Tower Bridge 

Tower Bridge Bars - The George
Image courtesy of camdentownbrewery.com

Simmons Bar

We couldn’t talk about East London bars without considering the cocktail bars near Tower Bridge. Simmons bar boasts a vibrant and quirky hang out open until the early hours. The events team keep busy hosting live music nights and DJ sets. Also, their happy hour, which is from 4pm-9pm Sunday to Friday, means you can get a pint as cheap as £2.50. As one of the closest  Tower Bridge bars, Simmons bar is less than 10 minutes from your door step so you can venture out for a relaxed night or big night out. 

Address: 61 Royal Mint St, Whitechapel, London E1 8LG

8-minute walk from urbanest Tower Bridge

Draft House Tower Bridge

Located just the other side of Tower Bridge with brilliant views of the river, Draft House Tower Bridge is one of the best Tower Bridge bars for all the beer lovers amongst you. These people are passionate about beer, serving up some of the finest ales, pilsners and craft beers in the world for the price of your average high-street pint of larger. Draft House have the aim “to do for beer what our culture has done for food and wine over the past twenty years”.

Address: 206-208 Tower Bridge Rd, London SE1 2UP

13-minute walk from urbanest Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge Bars - Draft House
Image courtesy of drafthouse.co.uk

London Cocktail Club

Although London Cocktail Club is by no means the cheapest, it is possibly the most fun of the clubs in London Bridge. This is one of the few cocktail bars with a genuine atmosphere, helped by the energetic bar staff, loud early 00’s pop hits and strong cocktails. Something about this place brings out the fun in East London’s self-proclaimed cool kids, which could be the happy four every day from 5pm to 8pm.

Address: 29 Sclater Street, London E1 6HT

17-minute walk from urbanest Tower Bridge

Related – Newcastle University London Student Accommodation

José Tapas Bar

Another contender on our list of Tower Bridge bars is a friendly tapas bar. Located between London Bridge station and Tower Bridge, José Tapas Bar is a sherry and wine bar that specialises in several small plates. This small and cosy bar is inspired by the local bars in Barcelona and is the perfect place for a relaxed meal with friends. You can expect a selection of meats, croquetas and patatas bravas to name a few. In terms of drinks, there are some Spanish wines, gins and beers to please everyone.

Address: 104 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3UB

20-minute walk from urbanest Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge Bars - José Tapas Bar
Image courtesy of londontheinside.com

N1 Bar

We couldn’t discuss London Bridge clubs without a nod to N1 Bar. Although this is a self-proclaimed ‘bar’, it features a downstairs club which is open until 6am on Thursdays to Saturdays. If you fancy a break and playing some pool, there’s a sports bar upstairs.

Address: 2b Eastcheap, London EC3M 1AB

13-minute walk from urbanest Tower Bridge

Related – Queen Mary University Of London Student Accommodation

Clubs in London Bridge
Image courtesy of n1bar.com

Have you been to any of the above Tower Bridge and London Bridge bars? Let us know in the comments!

This is a post by Matt who lives in East London and also supports urbanest Tower Bridge and urbanest Hoxton on a daily basis.

Chris Clark

Chris Clark

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