A Warm Pub in Regal Victoria, London

A rat pranced across the mezzanine where my flatmates and I shared miniature pie platters. Our favorite bartender jolted up the carpeted stairs with a broomstick, chasing the rat back and forth, curving around the floor. My first thought: this is the closest I’ll come to seeing a real life Tom and Jerry. Second thought: this is the place to be.

A big, fat rodent in a London pub might be initially surprising -- or even repulsive -- for someone from the LA suburbs like myself. But for a Londoner, this seemed to be a twisted sign of: “This place is better than good, it’s authentic.”

The Jugged Hare, a pub in Victoria, London I’d been visiting since my first week of studying abroad, stood out in its surroundings. I knew I’d lucked out by being placed in a neighborhood where the buildings were clean, painted fresh coats of white, and the streets so quiet that at night the chirp of a locking car-door was enough to tingle my ears. But where was the bustle?

With this in mind, my flatmates and I ventured aimlessly one early evening only to find a tall, gray building on a mellow, empty street. The cement front reminded me of an old bank still holding strong centuries later. (We’d later find out that the building had been converted from one.) My arm jerked as I pulled open the heavier than expected mahogany door, merely the first of my surprises. Warm lights hanging from the high ceilings embraced us, chatter vibrated between the dark walls, and John -- who I would soon nickname “Johnny Boy” and would become our favorite bartender -- nodded from the back corner.

I immediately felt at ease immersed in the scent of polished wood, meat pies, and greasy fish and chips. If home is a place to feel welcomed and comfortable, and be merry and fed, then this was it despite its hard exterior.

To find that balance of liveliness and solitude, go after work -- but avoid a major football game day when the TVs are blasting and the crowds galore. Take advantage of the mezzanine for larger groups or intimate conversations, just don’t get so tipsy that you trip down the narrow stairs! Even if you don’t typically enjoy pies, try one of theirs. They come out hot in a fluffy, crisp crust and include generous chunks of meat and vegetables. The workers can get really busy and may at times seem stern, but don’t be afraid to chat with them -- something I wish I had done from the day one! After all, cold surfaces can be misleading.