Smoker's London

T-Bird, Finsbury Park

Little fifties themed bar, lots of red leather and tube lighting. We were thrilled to find two classic arcade game tables. Attracts a random (in the true sense of the word) crowd. As Blackstock Road tends to. -BF

Seated: A bench out front provides a spectacular view of the Post Office and the internet café, as well as some traffic lights.
Location: About half way down Blackstock Road.
Tube: Arsenal
Upside: Arcade games (take a pocket full o’silver).
Downside: Football crowds after Arsenal games spoil the view from the smoking bench.
Hours: Pub hours (late Friday and Saturday).
Niceness: 5

Waverly House Hotel, Holbourn

Bland as you can get, cheapo hotel bar. Has tables outside on a little raised porch with fake heat lamps.

SMOKING: 4 tables on front porch with awning
LOCATION: Southampton Row
TUBE: Holbourn
UPSIDE: seats and a cover in an area where there isn't much
DOWNSIDE: fake fucking heat lamps - deceptive
HOURS: pub hours
NICENESS: 6.5/10

Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, Hoxton Square

Trendy bar/venue crammed with weedy Graham coxon-alike boys and Kate Nash wannabes with wonky art school hair. Cunts. Large outside under-cover area. Inside at ten by order of huge bouncers. Don’t try and resist them. £3:30 for a pint of Red Stripe. Pricey n’that. - Ol' Doc Benway

SMOKING: outdoor tables/chairs.
LOCATION: Hoxton Square TUBE: Old Street/Liverpool Street
UPSIDE: hot girls. No main road traffic.
DOWNSIDE: prices. Trendies.
HOURS: late.
NICENESS: 7/10

Gordon's Wine Bar, Embankment

Smokers have been smoking in this, king of all date spots, since the 1890s. Amazing wine list and mouth-watering cheeses aside, this is truly an Aladdin’s cave of a pub, with dark, cavernous walls, flickering candles and an atmosphere so romantic it makes you want wear some knickerbockers and a top hat. Gordon's is an amazing spot for a smokers’ date, with a good collection of umbrella’d tables outside next to the park so you can feel close to nature while you puff adoringly away at each other. Rudyard Kilping used to live upstairs and wrote ‘The Light that Failed’ in the parlour – a nod to the fact that all any good writer needs is somewhere good to drink, smoke and think. - Jess

SEATED: Plenty of tables

LOCATION: Just behind Embankment

TUBE: embankment

UPSIDE: good wine, good food, inspires good chat

DOWNSIDE: no heaters, get there early for a seat

HOURS: pub hours

NICENESS: 8.5/10

The Strong Rooms, Shoreditch

The Strong Rooms is one of the best smoking venues in Shoreditch - situated just opposite American Apparel on Curtain Rd its a late night bar that has DJs (random psychobilly and unfortunately sometimes some house), live bands and serves food. However the best thing about the Strong Rooms is the large courtyard out front. With about 10 tables with umbrellas, high walls covered in Ivy this is a perfect quiet mid week haven for the smoker.

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