St James Tavern, Victorian pub and restaurant in Leicester Square, London, England
St James Tavern is a pub and restaurant on Great Newport Street, just off Leicester Square in the City of Westminster, housed in a late Victorian brick building with decorated wall tiles. Inside, the space runs across two floors with wooden fittings and tall street-facing windows.
The site has operated as a drinking establishment since 1733, when it was known as The Catherine's Wheel. The current building dates to 1896 and was fitted with decorative elements that have remained in place ever since.
The tavern sits steps away from several West End theaters, and on most evenings the crowd inside shifts noticeably after curtain calls. The mix of regulars and theatergoers gives the place a specific energy that is easy to feel when you walk in.
The pub is a short walk from Leicester Square Underground station and sits on a side street just off the main square, making it easy to find on foot. Evenings tend to fill up quickly, especially when nearby shows let out, so arriving earlier in the evening gives you more room.
The wall tiles installed in 1896 were made specifically for this building and follow patterns that were typical of London pub design at the time. Finding a set this complete and unchanged is now unusual, as most pubs of that era were altered during later renovations.
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