The Troubadour

One of the last of London's 1950s coffee houses, the Troubadour has expanded and no longer caters to just those content with serviceable coffee, magical candlelit atmosphere, endless loop of Bach's harpsichord concertos, poetry readings and basement folk gigs (Bob Dylan, Martin Carthy, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John etc all played here). Walls have been knocked down and the space, food menu and wine list have expanded well beyond any beatnik's expectations. Gay men once looked like hippies, and this would have been on the map, especially as it's situated next door to what for many decades was the Coleherne — at one time London's ultimate gay pub/bar destination, now a gastro pub. New owner as of about 2016.