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

The Woodbine, Highbury

Nice little pub, fairy lights everywhere and wooden everything. Out of place crap graffiti above the bar kinda ruins it, but if you squint, you can pretend it’s not there. Obligatory Thai menu. Delicious though. Landlord (I assume he’s the Landlord anyway,) is the rudest man ever to serve me a cider. -BF

Seated: The word “garden” would be pushing it, but there’s a room with three tables and no ceiling out the back. Some well-placed wall plants provide ideal homes for ten thousand mosquitoes. Probably evil minions of landlord.
Location: Highbury end of Blackstock Road.
Tube: Arsenal
Upside: Thai green curry.
Downside: Being bitten half to death on a summer’s eve.
Hours: Pub hours.
Niceness: 5.5

The Hawley Arms, Chalk Farm

Makes it easy to understand how Amy Winehouse went so wrong. Get there early and get a seat. And, oh my, have a fish-finger sandwich. -BF

Seated: Two gardens. TWO. And one of them is a roof terrace.
Location: Castlehaven Road, opposite the horse market entrance to Camden Market.
Tube: Chalk Farm
Upside: Roof terrace (with tables, umbrellas AND heating).
Downside: It’s about as “scene” as it gets. And it gets super busy.
Hours: Depends who you are.
Niceness: On a quiet night it’s an 8.

The Mucky Pup, Angel

Awesome pub, great jukebox, good food, wicked landlords (Angus, Kenny). High walled courtyard with tables/chairs. A 10 min walk from Angel tube but worth it. 

SMOKING: out back in the courtyard
LOCATION: Off Packington Street/St James Street, Islington
UPSIDE: great atmosphere, clientele, away from traffic.
DOWNSIDE: angry neighbours so quietness encouraged.
HOURS: 12am-ish (not sure about 10pm kerfew?)
NICENESS: 9/10