London Bloomsbury

Vats Wine Bar, 51 Lambs' Conduit St. ( 020 7242 8963 ;www.vatswinebar.com) The epitome of a warm, British restaurant, Vats imports much of its wine while keeping the feel of the place properly British. With a menu boasting around 160 vintages from all over, Vats is an upscale and pleasant evening experience. Upscale pub food like venison sausages with creamed mash, broccoli florets, belotte beans, bacon sauce, and a garnish of cranberries are par for the course. Dine downstairs or outside between the two latticework fences that shield the restaurant's facade. The food is hearty and delicious, and the wine flows freely. Russell Square. Left onto Colonnade, right onto Grenville St., left onto Guilford St. and right onto Lambs’ Conduit St. Sides £3.75. Entrees £13-15. Open M-F noon-2:30pm and 6-9:30pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.

The Fitzroy Tavern, 16A Charlotte St. (020 7580 3714) Many pubs try to ensnare tourists by claiming they are the oldest pub in England or telling bizarre perversions of famous stories ("and that penny that Dickens gave to the little boy was spent on whiskey in our pub..") that lend a historical grandeur to what is actually just a decrepit pub with bad ales. The Fitzroy Tavern actually has a published book about its history, and artifacts from that history coat the walls. Famous for the charitable program instated by the tavern to send kids on outings to the country and for the authors who frequented the pub, most notably Dylan Thomas and George Orwell, The Fitzroy Tavern is the real deal. Pints are cheap, the history's free, and there's a comedy night too. Goodge St. left on Tottenham Ct. Rd., left on Tottenham St., left on to Charlotte St. Credit card min. £10, 1.5% surcharge. Most pints under £3.15; £2.50 is the average. Open M-Sa noon-11pm, Su noon-10:30pm. Comedy night W 8:30pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.

The Court 108a Tottenham Court Rd. (020 7387 0183) A true-blue student pub for a student neighborhood, The Court boasts loud music, cheap beers, juke boxes, and a hip crowd. In the upstairs area, there's a pool table, but most of the pubgoers sit outside or inside the brightly-lit pub area, under hanging strings of lights. Burgers cheap and tantalizing. Warren St. Left on Warren St., right on Tottenham Court Rd. Pints £3. Burgers £4.95-5.95. With student discount (you qualify if you buy the yellow student discount card at the pub), the pints are around £2.50. Open M-W 11am-midnight, Th-Sa 11am-1am. Kitchen open M-Sa 11am-9pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.

Princess Louise, 208 High Holborn (020 7405 8816) A student-packed local hang, the Princess Louise has a classic interior filled with elaborately-designed fogged glass, worn leather seats, and various other pieces of ornate decor. Perhaps the most beautiful things in the pub are the (figurative) price tags on the beers, which are much cheaper than what you'll find in most pubs in the area. A fun atmosphere with a young crowd, the Princess Louise is a neighborhood favorite. Holborn. Left onto High Holborn. Pint of bitters £1.99. Pint of lager £2.27. Open M-F 11:30am-11pm, Sa-Su noon-11pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.

The Old Crown Public House, 33 New Oxford St. (020 7836 9121; www.theoldcrownpublichouse.com) Old Crown meets young crowd. The pub is filled with old, beat-up wood tables and worn leather-backed chairs. The pipes from an ancient organ appear distorted through the bottles of hard alcohol behind the bar, and nicely framed, goofy pictures line the walls. In addition to the pub, there's a function room with another bar and space for dancing. Holborn. Left onto High Holborn right onto New Oxford St. Pint £3.80. Open M-W noon-midnight, Th-Sa noon-3am, Su noon-midnight. DJs F-Sa 9pm-3am. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.

Queens Larder, 1 Queen Sq. ( 020 7837 5627 ;www.queenslarder.co.uk) Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, stored special treats for her hubby in the cellar beneath this pub. Now, the larders are stocked with other sorts of special treats perfect for today's student-aged Englishmen, and you won't find Queen Charlotte hanging here anymore. The pub is bustling, with outdoor seating and a pleasant upstairs lounge. Russell Square, right onto Colonnade, left onto Herbrand St. right onto Guilford St., left onto Russell Sq., continue onto Southampton Row left onto Cosmo Pl. Pint £3.55. Open M-Sa 11am-10:30pm. Lunch served noon-3pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.