South Kensington · Kensington & Chelsea
Hoop & Toy
The oldest pub in the Knightsbridge and South Ken area
- Address34 Thurloe Place, London SW7 2HQ
- Phone020 7589 8360
- Websiteinapub.co.uk/venues/16963
- OwnershipPart of Greene King
About Hoop & Toy
Established in 1760 as the Hoop and Grapes, this is reckoned to be the oldest pub in the wider Knightsbridge area, right by the V&A.
Dating back to 1760, the Hoop & Toy predates almost everything else in this stretch of South Kensington, including the great museums it now sits beside. Its original name, the Hoop and Grapes, referenced the metal hoops binding beer barrels and the grapes of the wine trade — a nod to a much older working pub than the polished museum quarter around it might suggest. It remains a straightforward, Cask Marque-certified local, popular for sport on the box and a proper pint after a day at the V&A.
On tap
Cask Marque-certified real ale alongside the standard pub range.
Food
Traditional restaurant-quality pub food served throughout the day.
More pubs in South Kensington
- Anglesea ArmsOne of London's original gastropubs, with literary regulars
- Queen's ArmsA hidden 1859 mews pub behind the museums
- Zetland ArmsA steady local right by the V&A
See all Kensington & Chelsea pubs and the map · All 12 boroughs