Continued modernisations and attempts to pull in the passing tourist trade have caused the historic Anchor Bankside to lose much of its original charm; however, an excellent riverside location and its sprawling size keeps it a major player on Southwark’s post-work drinking scene. And if it’s good enough for Tom Cruise…

The Venue
Situated a stone’s throw away from Southwark Cathedral, next to the river Thames, the Anchor Bankside is in a prime position. The building is steeped in history; the first official record dates back to 1822 with a colourful past as a brothel, chapel, brewery and even a Roman grave. Most recently, Tom Cruise was seen enjoying a pint outside its doors for the Mission Impossible movie.

Anchor Bankside has been refurbished and expanded many times in its history – most recently in June 2008. There are four separate parts to this enormous building: on the ground floor is Johnson’s tearoom, with a fish and chip shop being located on the first floor. Also on this level is an attractive roof garden and terrace where you can really appreciate the view of St Paul’s Cathedral and the other London sights along this stretch of the Thames – a barbecue area up here is sure to be popular in the summer months. The formal dining restaurant is on the second floor, complete with waiter service. However, the main draw of this sprawling pub is the huge outdoor space that, far removed from the sights and smells of the main roads of nearby London Bridge, offers a tranquil calm unusual for Central London. The outdoor tables fill quickly in the summer months, with punters standing and sitting anywhere there’s room making for huge throngs of after-work drinkers.

The decor throughout is traditional, with several impressive bars and lots of wood features. Original fireplaces and old paintings are on all three floors, which add to the turn of the century ambience. The restaurant consists of bare brick and tudor style panelling and is reminiscent of a Gentlemans’ club.

The Atmosphere
Close to bustling Borough market and several local tourist attractions, there is no shortage of customers. Its location uniquely lends itself to offering both tourists and office workers refuge from the hustle and bustle of Central London. With the huge offices of IPC and Titan Publishing located nearby, there’s a skew towards media workers seeking out a pint and river view after a long day in the office, and the post-5.30pm crowd here is a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, even though there are several bars inside, these aren't large enough to cope with demand, so be prepared for lengthy waits and big crushes to get served, which is testament to its huge popularity.

The Food
In an attempt to appeal to the passing tourist trade, Anchor Bankside has opened its own fish and chip shop, located on the first floor of the building, offering a takeaway service. All fish is cooked on a Florigo five hand frying range and there’s a larger than average selection of battered fish to choose from, alongside a healthy grilled option for those watching the waistlines. If you don’t mind the calories, all fried food here is prepared using beef dripping rather than oil to add a genuine seaside chip shop feel.

Elsewhere, Anchor Bankside offers traditional pub grub at prices fitting with the area. Expect pie and mash, sausages and a decent Sunday Roast, which proves ever popular. In a nod to the office workers, bacon butties and snacks are also available to take away when making your way to work.

The Drink
Becks, Bulmers and Newcastle Brown Ale are sold in bottles, Guinness Extra Cold, Carlsberg, Edelveiss and Amstel are all available on draught, as is Adnams Bitter and Bombadier. The ales are rotated regularly to give punters a varied choice. The choice of wines and spirits are pretty run of the mill, nothing out of the ordinary to excite you, which is a little disappointing.

The Last Word
Anchor Bankside’s popularity shows no signs of abating as day after day it pulls in huge crowds of tourists and local office workers. Big queues and long wait times are a small price to pay, however, for the tranquil setting of this huge pub.

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