A proper Young's house on Millbank with one of the best riverside terraces in central London — you're staring at the Thames with MI6 looming across the water. It's not trying to be a gastropub or a cocktail bar; it's a solid, old-school London pub that earns its 4.3 rating through consistency, well-kept ales, and a Sunday roast that draws locals and Tate Britain visitors alike. The smugglers' tunnels connected to old Millbank Prison give it a story worth telling over your second pint.
One of central London's best riverside pub terraces — Thames views, MI6 across the water, well-kept Young's ales, and a Sunday roast worth crossing Westminster for.
Grab a table on the terrace early on sunny days — it fills up fast, especially on Sundays when the roast draws crowds from Tate Britain next door.
Riverside pint, proper roast, MI6 views
The Morpeth Arms is one of those Westminster pubs that earns its keep through location and consistency rather than gimmicks. Perched on Millbank with the Thames rolling past and MI6 staring back at you from across the water, the terrace alone is worth the visit on a sunny day — it's one of the better river views you'll get from a pub in central London. It's a Young's house, so you can count on the ales being properly kept, and the menu leans into solid British pub classics. The Sunday roast is the main event — reviewers consistently praise it, and it draws a steady crowd of locals and Tate Britain visitors alike.
Inside, it's got that comfortable, slightly old-school pub feel with a bit of history woven in. The building's got smugglers' tunnels in its past, supposedly connected to the old Millbank Prison, which gives the place a story to tell over your second pint. Service gets frequent shoutouts in reviews — one reviewer named Miranda specifically as an excellent host, and the general consensus is that the staff are warm and attentive without being overbearing.
It's not trying to be a gastropub or a cocktail bar, and that's the point. Come for a riverside pint, stay for the roast, and enjoy a proper London pub in a spot where most of the surrounding area is government buildings and embassies. The 4.3 rating across nearly 2,000 Google reviews feels fair — it's a very good pub, not a life-changing one, but sometimes that's exactly what you want.