St James's Tavern

A pub has stood on this site since 1733, when it was called the Catherine Wheel. The current building went up in 1897 to the designs of William Brutton, a prolific pub architect, at a cost of £4,860. Look for the Doulton tile paintings — Shakespearean scenes made by Doulton's of Lambeth, plus two panels showing hops and a vine. St James's Tavern sits right where Soho meets the West End, and the pavement outside feels like it's moving at double speed. There's a McDonald's across the road, which by pub twelve may be the most important sentence in this guide.