Got a taste for the black stuff over the St Patrick’s festivities?
Still recovering from a headache from all the Guinness drank over St. Patrick’s Day? Our stout specialists JP and Luke look for the best pint in Islington, so you get the best cream from the crop.
Guinness glossary
- Surging Effect: When poured correctly, the nitrogenation process leads to the famous surging effect and thick, creamy head.
- Head: The ideal head height for a Guinness pint is 12-18mm, with a tight, uniform texture that lasts until the end of the pint.
- Nitrogen: It plays a crucial role in achieving the creamy “mouthfeel” that Guinness is famous for. It creates smaller bubbles compared to carbon dioxide, resulting in a smoother texture.
- Schtick: The foamy rings that cling to the inside of an empty Guinness glass. The more, the better.
- Domage: How far the head sits above the glass, ideally it should replicate a horizon.
- Tilt test: Testing the strength of the domage, it should stay within the glass when tilted at a 45-degree angle.
- Porter: A common informal way of referring to Guinness you might hear around Dublin.
- Two-Part Pour: According to Guinness, the trick to the perfect pint is letting it settle for 1 minute and 32.5 seconds after the first pour and topping it up to get the perfect head.
- Splitting the G: Recent trend in which people try to get their first sip to hit the serif on the G on the Guinness labelled across the glass.
- Craic: Irish slang for fun.
- Sláinte: Cheers!
Brendan the Navigator, Archway
Score: 3/5
Best for: Schtick
This is my third year at the pub, and the regulars make it hard to leave
Jen, the Navigator’s matriarch
Sat on top of Highgate Hill, Brendan the Navigator is the pub of a thousand welcomes. This is the despite the fact that it is ironically located across the road from Cromwell Avenue.
Holding court behind the bar is Jen, the Navigator’s matriarch and undisputed Guinness pourer-in-chief.
“This is my third year at the pub, and the regulars make it hard to leave,” she says.
While not Irish herself, Jen says: “There’s still such a big Irish community in Archway, and they’ve always made me feel at home here.”
Before even lifting a glass, the Navigator scores some brownie points:
- Murphy’s on tap – a stout brewed in Cork
- The iconic Irish cheese and onion Tayto crisp that is a staple in every pub and home in Ireland
- And, as a final divine touch, a painting of St Peter watching over a wall of Jameson. If heaven exists, it might look a bit like this.
Now, on to the pint itself. Silky on arrival but lacking a bit of creaminess as it went down. This was a surprise as it was the best ‘schtick’ we saw all week.
Any Archway or Highgate local should find their way to the Navigator—especially if your plans involve a proper session.
Hemingford Arms, Barnsbury
Score: 4/5
Best for: Atmosphere
From Brendan the Navigator, we sail towards the Hemingford Arms. Inside, there is an oval shaped bar with a tricolour draped above the spirit and taps. As for the pint, it was refreshing and creamy. Choosing to sit outside is always a must in good weather, and it is here we meet Sebastian and Santiago.
On the quality of the pint, Sebastian says: “It’s really good here, some places are not as consistent, that’s why it is my local.”
Sebastian and Santiago are both Argentinian and Sebastian says: “I’m Latin American and I feel like the Irish are the most similar to us in Europe. They’re warm, they’re kind and they’re a lot of fun.”
Hercules, Holloway
score: 4/5
Best for: Service
It’s lovely to see the younger people come to the pub and carry on the Irish traditions
Helena Gannon, Hercules’ landlady
Sat in the heart of Holloway Road is the Hercules. Aiming the nozzle at the golden harp on the glass, the barmaid, Theresa, pours the perfect pint. Holding the glass at a 45-degree angle and letting the first pour settle for just over a minute, she also tops it off with a shamrock and sláinte (cheers) printed on top. Top-class service.
The landlady, Helena Gannon, from County Roscommon, says she sells 15 kegs a week and the secret to getting the perfect pint is looking after the taps having a frequent flow.
Acknowledging the Irish heritage of Holloway Road, Helena says: “I have run this pub for 13 years and seen some changes. Some good, some bad, but it’s lovely to see the younger people come to the pub and carry on the Irish traditions.”
The pub has a strong west of Ireland contingent amongst its regulars. So, if you’re a son or daughter of Galway, Kerry, and Mayo, head to the Hercules to share stories of the west of Ireland.
Best Guinness found: The Floirín
Score: 5/5
Best for: Pint of Guinness
Guinness 0.0 has soared in popularity, and it was the biggest non-alcoholic drink in the UK in 2024. You can now find 0.0 on tap in the most unlikely of places, like the Floirín, also on Holloway Road.
Australian Guinness drinker, Pat Carson, says: “There’s Irish everywhere, and that’s a good thing. They’re warm, friendly, and special people.”
We saved the best for last.
It’s the way I pour it
The Floirín’s manager
The Floirín is a quintessential Irish pub: horse racing on the telly, a pool table in the corner, and a tower of Tayto behind the bar: Beef & Onion, Smokey Bacon, Worcester Sauce; if it exists, The Floirín has it.
At the helm is Betty, a Kerry native turned Holloway Road legend, who commands the bar like a maestro leading an orchestra.
We knew we had a serious contender the moment our pint landed on the bar. Elite-tier domage, smooth, creamy and as if that wasn’t sweet enough, £4.70 a pint.
Each sip tasted better, and somehow, the price felt cheaper.
So, what’s the secret? Betty says with a wink: “It’s the way I pour it.”
Get yourself down to The Floirín – and if you do, tell them JP and Luke sent you. (That’s got to be worth a free pint, right?)
JP McGrath is a MA student journalist at City, University of London reporting in the heart of Mildmay, Islington. JP has worked with two universities in the US covering their athletics programs. With a particular passion for sports, JP has worked as an NFL analyst and spent a week on the Times newspaper sports desk.
Luke O'Connell - reporter for Laycock. Former Editor in Chief of University College Cork's Political Magazine, Polity.