St James's · Westminster
The Two Chairmen
Named for the sedan-chair carriers of old Westminster.
- Address39 Dartmouth Street, St James's, London SW1H 9BP
- Phone020 7222 8694
- Websitegreeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/two-chairmen/find-us
- OwnershipPart of Greene King
About The Two Chairmen
An 18th-century pub named after the porters who once carried sedan chairs through these streets, now a favoured spot for Westminster's political and civil service crowd.
Tucked between St James's Park and Westminster Abbey, the Two Chairmen takes its unusual name from the sedan-chair carriers — the 'chairmen' — who gathered here between jobs in the 18th century, ferrying the wealthy through streets too narrow or muddy for carriages. The building retains original beams, fireplaces and leaded glass from that era, and its proximity to Parliament and Whitehall departments has made it a long-standing haunt of MPs, aides and civil servants trading gossip after work.
On tap
Cask ales and a solid wine list, popular for after-work Westminster drinks.
Food
Traditional British pub food, hearty enough for a long Westminster day.
More pubs in St James's
- The Golden LionA former theatre pub with masks carved into its facade.
- The Red LionA perfect miniature Victorian gin palace, mirrors and all.