Highbury · Islington
The Compton Arms
Said to be George Orwell's favourite
- Address4 Compton Avenue, N1 2XD
- Phone020 7354 8473
- Websitecomptonarms.co.uk
- OwnershipIndependent pub
About The Compton Arms
Whitewashed, ivy-covered frontage; its owners maintain it inspired Orwell's essay on the perfect pub.
Tucked away on a residential street by Highbury Fields, the Compton Arms is one of the borough's most characterful pubs. Its owners claim it inspired George Orwell's "The Moon Under Water" (1946), his essay on the ideal pub. Today it combines the classic look — narrow bar, wooden benches, back garden — with a resident kitchen that rotates every so often.
On tap
A rotating selection of craft beer and local cask ales, chosen by season.
Food
Resident kitchen run by the Rake collective; a short menu that changes every few months.
More pubs in Highbury
- The Hen & Chickens Theatre PubA fringe theatre hidden above the bar
- Bank of FriendshipHighbury's favourite since 1881