The Sun & 13 Cantons: what to order and when to go
A Gothic Revival corner pub with a Swiss joke in its name and a Moroccan grill in the kitchen: here is how to do it well.
By Only Soho Editorial
On the corner of Great Pulteney Street and Beak Street, the Sun & 13 Cantons has the sort of Gothic Revival frontage that makes you look up from your phone. Inside, it is a Fuller's craft beer bar with a Parisian-leaning look, leather banquettes and a kitchen that changes its mind every so often. Go for the building, stay for the grill.
The name, and the joke in it
A pub has stood here since at least 1756, when it turns up in Freemasonry records as a Masonic Lodge meeting place. It was once simply The Sun, until a fire destroyed it. When the rebuilt pub opened in 1882, "13 Cantons" was added as a tribute to its many Swiss patrons. Soho had a large Swiss community, and Switzerland had 12 cantons at the time, so the local Swiss were, jokingly, the thirteenth. Accounts differ on the finer detail of the cantons, so take the story as the pub's own folklore.
The current building is Grade II listed (designated in 1978) and dates from 1882, by the architect Henry Cotton. Per CAMRA, the Swiss regulars were watch-makers. In later decades it was a haunt for film and TV professionals, and the basement bar hosted DJ nights from the late 1990s, with Carl Cox and the Chemical Brothers (then the Dust Brothers) among the names linked to it.
What it is now
The address is 21 Great Pulteney Street, W1F 9NG. Fuller's runs it as a craft beer bar with no cask ale: premium and craft keg instead. There are high tables in the bar, a separate dining room with booths and emerald tiling, and pavement tables on Great Pulteney Street for a summer evening.
What to order
The kitchen is currently home to Tagine & Grill, a modern Moroccan residency from chef Yassir Chair, founder of Afuego Burger. It began on 10 June 2026 and replaces Mamapen. Hot Dinners describes charcoal grilling, signature kebabs, small and sharing plates, and a new tagine each week.
- Chargrilled lamb kofta with lemon-mint yoghurt, pickled red cabbage and chilli sauce.
- Harissa-glazed halloumi kebab with pomegranate and coriander, or the halloumi fries with honey and harissa mayo.
- King prawn Tangier bastila cigars, then roasted almond and honey briouats to finish.
- Chargrilled chicken thigh with ras-el-hanout dressing, harissa mayo and lime.
London Unattached rated it 4 out of 5, liked the msemen flatbread stuffed with minced lamb and harissa yoghurt, and found the food quick enough for a pre-theatre meal. Residencies rotate, so check the food page on the pub's website before you set your heart on a dish.
When to go
Listings put the pub at roughly midday to eleven on weekdays, a little later on Saturdays and shorter hours on Sundays, but they conflict, so confirm on the pub's website or by phone on 020 7734 0934. The kitchen typically opens from about five on weekdays; check if you want lunch. Early evening on a Monday was found quiet and quick by London Unattached. Thursday and Friday after work will be livelier. On a warm evening, take a pavement table.
Prices and booking
The Nudge gives it three pound signs, so expect West End pricing. Book food through the pub's website food page, or ring. For a drink at the bar, turn up and see.
For after
Walk round to Disrepute, 4 Kingly Court, between Carnaby Street and Beak Street: a basement cocktail bar under the courtyard, with a basement past that is linked to the Profumo affair. Order a cocktail and take a seat downstairs. It is listed among the best Soho bars by DesignMyNight.
