The Verdict
The Anchor stands at 34 Park Street on Bankside, Southwark, where the Thames bends past Shakespeare’s Globe and the Tate Modern. It began as the tap room of the Anchor Brewery, first established in 1616, and the diarist Samuel Pepys took refuge here to watch the Great Fire of London grow in 1666. The current building dates from the 1770s, with later additions, and it is now run by Greene King.
This is a pub first and a restaurant second: fish and chips, a beef burger, salt-and-pepper squid and a full Sunday roast of beef or chicken with Yorkshire pudding, with mains broadly in the £10 to £16 range. There is no named head chef; the kitchen follows the Greene King group menu. The real draw is the riverside terrace, one of central London’s best spots for a pint over the water.
The Pub
Greene King runs the kitchen to a standardised group menu rather than a chef’s carte, so the food is dependable pub cooking rather than fine dining. Expect fish and chips, a beef burger, salt-and-pepper squid, a chicken curry and a traditional Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding and gravy, with mains broadly between £10 and £16. Cask and keg ales sit alongside a short wine list.
The Riverside Setting
The reason to come is the location. The Anchor faces the City across the Thames, a short walk from Shakespeare’s Globe and the Tate Modern, with a large riverside terrace and beer garden. The brewery tap was first established in 1616; Pepys watched the 1666 Great Fire from Bankside; and the present building, a Grade II listed pub, dates from the 1770s.
Best for a Riverside Pint or Team Dinner
It works best as a warm-weather meeting point and an after-work team spot: a riverside pint, a plate of fish and chips, and one of London’s most photographed pub views. Function rooms can be hired for larger groups, and the central Bankside setting is easy for a mixed crowd to reach.
Not For
Not for diners after a quiet, chef-driven tasting menu or a refined dinner. This is a busy, tourist-heavy historic pub with a group menu, so anyone wanting refined cooking, calm or an ambitious wine list should book a restaurant rather than the riverside terrace.
Reservations
Tables are bookable online through Greene King, and walk-ins are welcome, but the Riverside Garden is walk-in only and not bookable. Groups over six should phone +44 20 7407 1577. The kitchen serves to 22:00 daily; the pub opens 11:00 to 23:00 most days and to 23:30 on Friday and Saturday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Anchor Bankside worth visiting?
The Anchor Bankside is worth visiting for its setting rather than ambitious cooking: a historic Thames-side pub by Shakespeare's Globe, on the site of the Anchor Brewery tap first established in 1616. It is a Greene King pub with a riverside terrace, serving fish and chips, Sunday roasts and ales with mains around £10 to £16. Come for the river view and history, not fine dining.
Where is The Anchor Bankside and who runs it?
The Anchor Bankside is at 34 Park Street, Bankside, Southwark, London SE1 9EF, on the south bank of the Thames near Shakespeare's Globe and the Tate Modern. It is owned and operated by Greene King and run as a historic pub. There is no named head chef; the kitchen follows the Greene King group menu of pub classics and Sunday roasts.
What food does The Anchor Bankside serve?
The Anchor serves British pub food: fish and chips, a beef burger, salt-and-pepper squid, a chicken curry and a full Sunday roast of beef or chicken with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and gravy. Mains sit broadly in the £10 to £16 range. The kitchen serves until 22:00 daily, alongside cask and keg ales and a short wine list.
Can you book a table at The Anchor Bankside?
Yes. Tables are bookable online through Greene King's system, and walk-ins are welcome, but the Riverside Garden is walk-in only and cannot be reserved. Groups of more than six should call +44 20 7407 1577. The pub is open from 11:00, closing at 23:00 most days and 23:30 on Friday and Saturday, with the kitchen serving to 22:00.
Also in London
Explore the full London dining guide, or compare it with riverside and landmark rooms like Aqua Shard and Angler. See our best restaurants for a team dinner.