I Tried Three of the Best Pints of Guinness in London – Here’s Who Poured It Best

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There’s a holy trinity in the world of Guinness fans: creaminess, flavour, and the perfect pour. And in London, finding all three in one glass can feel like chasing a unicorn through a sea of sad, over-carbonated stouts. So, armed with a clear head (for now) and a stubborn commitment to the cause, I set out on a very noble mission: to find the best pints of Guinness in the capital.

No gimmicks. No Guinness with a shamrock drawn in the head. Just three pints, judged on what really matters: Creaminess, Balance, and Pour Quality.

The contenders? The much-hyped Devonshire in Piccadilly, the cult-favourite Toucan in Soho, and the under-the-radar Coach & Horses in Covent Garden. Here’s how they stacked up, and who I’ll be dreaming about the next time I need a pint that tastes like a hug from the inside.

The Toucan – Soho’s Cult Classic

If you Google “best Guinness in London,” The Toucan will be on every list, usually accompanied by breathless praise, nostalgic Irish ex-pat stories, and the odd grainy photo of someone sipping beneath a signed photo of Shane MacGowan. This tiny, two-floor pub in Soho has built a full-blown reputation: Guinness temple, Guinness mecca, Guinness… theatre?

And to be fair, walking in feels like stepping into a shrine. The walls are draped in Guinness memorabilia, the place is always buzzing, and there’s a kind of reverence in the air. You don’t order a Guinness at The Toucan. You submit a request.

So, was it worth the pilgrimage?

Creaminess: Very high. The head was thick, velvety, and held its shape well throughout the pint. No foam collapse, no weird texture. A solid 8.5/10 here.

Balance: The flavour was good – well-rounded roastiness, not too bitter, but slightly muted compared to the others I’d have later. Still, it felt honest. 7.5/10.

Pour Quality: Here’s where it faltered. The bartender poured it straight – no 45° angle. The settle was fine, but that technique matters. It’s not just Guinness snobbery; it affects the texture and the carbonation. For that, I docked it down to 6.5/10.

Verdict: This was a strong, reliable pint. Not flawless, but well above average. The setting definitely boosts the experience as it’s hard not to enjoy a Guinness here. But on this particular day, The Toucan wasn’t top of the pile.

“It’s like going to a legendary gig where the singer forgets the lyrics – you still love it, but you know it could’ve been perfect.”
– The Toucan, Soho

Coach & Horses – The Sleeper Hit

You wouldn’t expect to find one of London’s best pints of Guinness just off Covent Garden, tucked behind the usual tourist shuffle and overpriced pasta joints. But that’s exactly where the Coach & Horses sits. It’s quiet, unbothered, and apparently pouring liquid gold without making a song and dance about it.

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t expecting much. It’s not on the Guinness Instagram circuit. There’s no moody lighting or marketing hype. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have stopped here at all if I hadn’t been tipped off by a whispering Reddit thread and a mate who loves a good drink.

But then the pint arrived, and it was lush.

Creaminess: Absolutely top-tier. From the first sip it was like drinking velvet. The foam clung to the inside of the glass like it was holding on for dear life. Easily a 9/10. The creamiest of the day.

Balance: Rich, smooth, and just a touch sweet. Exactly what you want from Guinness: no burnt acridness, no flat fade-out. Just good, honest flavour. 8/10.

Pour Quality: Here’s where it stumbled. The bartender again ignored the sacred 45° pour and served it a bit sloppily -foam over the top, but that was actually my fault. I knocked it. Still, it wasn’t as cleanly presented as it could’ve been, so I gave it 6/10.

Verdict: If you care more about drinking Guinness than photographing it, this is your spot. It was the most enjoyable pint overall, even if it looked like it had rolled out of bed five minutes late.

“The Guinness equivalent of a scruffy genius – zero effort on presentation, but bloody brilliant where it counts.”
– Coach & Horses, Covent Garden

The Devonshire – The Instagram Darling

Ah, The Devonshire. If pints were celebrities, this one would be walking the red carpet. Recently reopened with firepower behind the bar and grill, it’s become the place to be seen drinking Guinness. Social media is awash with perfectly domed pints framed against wood panelling, old-school tiles, and moody lighting. It’s where you go if you want to feel like your Guinness has been cast in a Christopher Nolan film.

The bar staff clearly know the hype, and they serve it like theatre. Guinness with gravitas. It arrived immaculate. Clean glass, tight foam, no spills, no smears. The kind of pint you instinctively take a photo of before drinking. And I did.

Creaminess: At first glance, flawless. But then I noticed some bubbles on the surface – a red flag for anyone who’s had too many mediocre pints in their lifetime. It still drank well, but the texture was ever so slightly off. Still, it held up. 9/10, revised to 8.5/10 on closer inspection.

Balance: This one tasted excellent. Rich, smooth, with that dark malt edge flowing cleanly into the finish. Maybe not drastically better than the others, but confidently solid. 8/10.

Pour Quality: Best presented of the lot, but, again, they didn’t bother with the 45° tilt. That’s three-for-three, by the way. For all its showiness, there were surface bubbles and signs that form trumped function. 7/10.

Verdict: This pint was almost too good-looking. It felt crafted for social media more than the senses. Still, it was a strong performer, and for many, it’ll be their favourite. But for me, it lacked that lived-in soul the Coach & Horses delivered.

“Like a model with perfect teeth – undeniably pretty, but maybe just a little too aware of it.”
– The Devonshire, Piccadilly

The Random Pint Test – The Sun Tavern, Seven Dials

There’s this myth that Guinness tastes the same everywhere. That it’s “just the lines” or “in your head,” and that all pints are created equal because it comes from the same keg. So, to test it, I walked into a pub with zero Guinness clout: The Sun Tavern, a decent enough boozer near Seven Dials with no hype, no TikTok reviews, no laminated Guinness certificate behind the bar.

The pint? Served quickly, but – credit where it’s due – poured with a proper two-part method. No ceremony, no slow settle watched like a newborn fawn, but technically correct.

Creaminess: This is where it fell down. The head looked fine, but drank thin. It didn’t coat the glass like the others – more foam than silk. Almost fizzy. 6.5/10.

Balance: It had a noticeably bitter edge and was sharper than expected, less smooth, almost acrid on the finish. Like it had been sitting in the lines a bit too long. 6.5/10.

Pour Quality: Mechanically fine – clean glass, two-part pour – but rushed. No time taken to let it breathe. 6.5/10.

Verdict: This was the moment the myth broke. Same brand, same style, totally different experience. It wasn’t a bad pint, just a world away from the creamy pints I’d had earlier. And it proves something important: not all Guinness is created equal.

“The Guinness equivalent of instant mash – technically right, emotionally empty.”
– The Sun Tavern, Seven Dials

So Why Doesn’t Guinness Taste the Same Everywhere?

It’s not just snobbery or placebo. Here’s why some pints really are better than others:

• Line cleanliness: Guinness lines need regular cleaning. Dirty lines = bitter, metallic, flat-tasting pint.
• Keg conditioning: Guinness settles better when the keg has rested properly – newly tapped kegs often pour rough.
• Nitrogen vs CO₂ mix: Guinness uses a unique gas blend – if the mix is off, so is the texture.
• Glass care: Dirty glasses or those rinsed improperly ruin head retention and mouthfeel.
• Pour technique: Rushing the two-part pour, skipping the angle, or pouring in one go affects everything – head, body, carbonation.
• Turnover: Busy Guinness pubs shift kegs faster, so the beer’s fresher and better cared for.

The best Guinness isn’t luck. It’s maintenance, ritual, and respect for the process. That’s why places like Coach & Horses nail it, and others serve what tastes like a knock-off.

Summary

After three carefully chosen pints and one wildcard pub thrown in for good measure, the results were clear: not all Guinness is equal. While each pint had its own charm (or lack thereof), only one truly nailed the full experience.

But here’s the twist: I’m not crowning The Devonshire. Despite scoring marginally higher on paper, the pint at Coach & Horses was more satisfying in the glass and on the palate. It was unpretentious, properly conditioned, and almost criminally creamy. That edge in mouthfeel and flavour lingered long after I’d left.

The Devonshire put on a good show. Picture-perfect pint, solid flavour – but the slight flaws (surface bubbles, a bit too stage-managed) held it back from greatness. And The Toucan? A solid classic, but resting slightly on its reputation. And as for The Sun? It proved one thing: Guinness needs care to shine. Let us know where you think does the best Guinness!