Walk into Northumberland Street, just a stone's throw from Charing Cross, and you'll see it. A green facade, gold lettering, and the unmistakable silhouette of a man in a deerstalker. It's The Sherlock Holmes pub. Honestly, most people probably assume it’s just a kitschy theme bar designed to separate tourists from their pounds. They're wrong.
History here is weirdly layered. It isn’t just a pub that decided to capitalize on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation in the 90s. No. The connection goes back way further, involving a massive collection of Victorian artifacts and a world-famous exhibition from 1951. You’re basically drinking in a museum that happens to serve decent ale.
The building itself used to be the Northumberland Arms. It’s the very spot where Sir Henry Baskerville stayed in The Hound of the Baskervilles. Doyle knew this area. He walked these streets. When you sit in the corner with a pint, you're literally occupying the geography of the canon. It’s one of the few places in London where the fictional world of 221B Baker Street feels tangible, even though the "real" Baker Street is a few miles away and looks nothing like the books anymore.
The 1951 Festival of Britain and the Room Upstairs
The coolest part of the pub isn't even the bar. It’s the stuff upstairs. Back in 1951, during the Festival of Britain, a massive Sherlock Holmes exhibition was staged. It was a big deal. They gathered authentic Victorian furniture, chemical apparatus, and even a dummy of the Hound. When the festival ended, the collection needed a home.
Whitbread & Co., the brewery that owned the pub at the time, made a brilliant move. They bought the entire lot.
They didn't just shove it in a glass case. They reconstructed Holmes’s sitting room behind a large glass partition in the dining area upstairs. It’s detailed. You see the "VR" (Victoria Regina) bullet holes in the wall. You see the tobacco kept in the toe of a Persian slipper. It’s eerie how quiet that room looks compared to the clinking of glasses just inches away.
Why the Detail Matters to Fans
Serious "Sherlockians"—the kind who belong to the Sherlock Holmes Society of London—actually respect this place. That’s saying something. These are people who notice if a collar stud is from the wrong decade. The pub manages to walk the line between being a commercial enterprise and a legitimate shrine.
- The Chemistry Table: Look for the retorts and test tubes. It looks messy, just like Watson described.
- The Correspondence: There are letters pinned to the mantle with a jack-knife.
- The Air of 1895: Even the wallpaper was chosen to reflect the specific aesthetic of the late Victorian era.
What You’re Actually Eating and Drinking
Let’s be real. You’re in Central London. You expect the food to be overpriced cardboard.
Surprisingly, the menu holds its own. They play into the theme, obviously. You’ve got the "Sherlock Own Ale," which is brewed specifically for the pub. It’s a classic English bitter—malty, slightly floral, and goes down way too easy on a rainy Tuesday. If you're looking for something heavier, the steak and ale pie is the standard choice. It’s thick. It’s hot. It’s exactly what you’d imagine a Victorian doctor like John Watson would eat after a long day of chasing criminals through the fog.
They also do a "Moriarty’s Fish and Chips." Is the name a bit much? Maybe. But the batter is crispy, and they don't skimp on the portions. It’s funny because while the theme is 19th-century, the kitchen has to deal with 21st-century crowds. It gets packed. I mean really packed. If you go on a Friday night, don't expect a quiet chat about the deductive process. Expect a wall of sound and a lot of elbows.
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A Quick Tip on Seating
If you want to actually see the recreation of the study, you have to head to the first floor (that’s the second floor for Americans). The ground floor is a traditional pub layout—dark wood, brass fittings, plenty of standing room. The dining room upstairs is where the museum vibes live. You can usually book a table, which I’d recommend if you're traveling from out of town.
The Weird Connection to the Northumberland Hotel
The pub occupies the site of what was once the Northumberland Hotel. In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Henry Baskerville stays at the Northumberland Hotel and has one of his boots stolen there. It’s a tiny detail in the book, but it’s the reason this specific building was chosen for the collection.
Think about that for a second.
The owners didn't just pick a random building. They picked the one that fit the geography of the mystery. It’s that level of "meta" storytelling that makes London so fascinating. The line between what’s real and what’s written is constantly blurred. You’re standing in a pub that replaced a hotel that only became famous because a fictional character lost a boot there.
Beyond the Deerstalker: The Atmosphere
There is a sort of communal energy in The Sherlock Holmes pub. You’ll see a guy in a tailored suit drinking a gin and tonic next to a backpacker who looks like they haven't slept in three days. Sherlock Holmes is a universal language. Everyone knows the silhouette.
The walls are covered in memorabilia. Photos from various film adaptations, including the 1980s Jeremy Brett series (the gold standard for many) and the more recent Benedict Cumberbatch version. It’s a timeline of how we’ve perceived the detective over the last century.
Sometimes, the "theme" feels a bit heavy-handed. There are posters everywhere. The gift shop vibe is present. But if you look past the commercialism, there’s a genuine love for the source material. The staff usually know a thing or two about the history, and the atmosphere isn't sterile. It feels lived-in.
What Most People Get Wrong
Most people think the pub is the "Official" Sherlock Holmes Museum. It isn't. The official one is at 239 Baker Street. That one has the famous address (well, sort of) and the long lines outside.
The Sherlock Holmes pub is different. It’s a pub first.
You don't have to pay an entrance fee to see the study upstairs if you’re grabbing a meal. It’s a more relaxed way to soak in the Holmesian lore without feeling like you’re on a guided tour through a school museum.
Navigating the Crowds and Making it Worth It
Look, if you hate crowds, don't go at 6:00 PM on a Thursday. You'll hate it. The suit-and-tie crowd from the nearby government offices and the tourists coming from Trafalgar Square collide in a chaotic mess.
Instead, try a late lunch. Around 2:30 PM, the lunch rush has died down, and the after-work drinkers haven't arrived yet. You can actually walk around the upstairs room, read the labels on the artifacts, and take a photo without someone’s head in the way.
A Few Practical Bits:
- Location: 10-11 Northumberland St, London WC2N 5DB. It’s right near Charing Cross station and a two-minute walk from Trafalgar Square.
- Price Point: Mid-range for London. Not cheap, but not "fine dining" expensive.
- Booking: Definitely book if you want to eat upstairs near the glass-enclosed study. The downstairs is mostly for walk-ins and drinking.
- The Ale: Try the house bitter. Even if you aren't a big beer drinker, it's part of the experience.
Why This Place Actually Matters in 2026
In a world where everything is becoming a digital "experience" or a pop-up, the Sherlock Holmes pub is remarkably permanent. It’s been there in its current form since the 50s. It survived the decline of traditional pubs and the rise of trendy cocktail bars.
It matters because it keeps a specific version of London alive—the foggy, gas-lit, intellectual-yet-gritty London that we all see when we close our eyes and think of 1895. Even if it's a bit polished for the modern era, the soul of it is still there.
You aren't just going for a drink. You’re going because, for a brief moment, you want to believe that a tall man with a pipe might walk through the door and tell you that the game is afoot.
How to Do the "Holmes Tour" the Right Way
If you’re planning a day around this, don't just stop at the pub. Start at Baker Street. See the museum there. Walk through Regent’s Park—it’s where Watson and Holmes often strolled. Then, take the Tube down to Charing Cross.
End your day at the pub. By then, your feet will ache, and that pint of Sherlock Own will taste a lot better.
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- Start at 221B Baker Street: Get the museum out of the way early to avoid the biggest lines.
- Walk the Strand: This area is mentioned constantly in the books. It’s the heart of Holmes’s London.
- The Northumberland Street Finale: Head to the pub for dinner.
- Look for the Details: Don't just look at the big stuff. Look at the framed letters on the walls. Read the old newspaper clippings. The history is in the small print.
The Sherlock Holmes pub is a weird, wonderful hybrid. It’s half-commercial, half-historical, and entirely London. Whether you’re a die-hard fan who knows the difference between a Jackson and a Pawnee or just someone looking for a cool place to grab a burger near Trafalgar Square, it delivers. Just watch out for the Baskerville hound upstairs; he looks a lot friendlier than he does in the books.
Next Steps for Your Visit:
- Check the Sherlock Holmes Society of London website: They occasionally host events at the pub or in the surrounding area that are open to the public.
- Download a "Sherlock's London" walking map: There are several free GPS-based maps that link the pub to other nearby locations from the stories, like the Lyceum Theatre.
- Book your table at least 48 hours in advance: If you’re visiting during peak tourist season or on a weekend, the dining room upstairs fills up fast, and you don't want to miss the recreation of the study.