Given its tucked-away position in a quaint side street off the King's Rd in villagey Chelsea, it's hard to believe the Queens Head was once one of London's key gay drinking destinations, harking back to the middle of the last century in fact. Its two rivals for 'oldest gay pub in London', the Coleherne and the King Edward VI, closed in 2008 and 2011 respectively, leaving this throwback venue with quite a cachet. Formerly bohemian, arty and salaciously gay-friendly, Chelsea (perhaps Britain's — or even the world's — first 'gay village') is now a pretty but rather hollow-feeling lifestyle and shopping destination, though not without its noteworthy landmarks: Saatchi Gallery, department store Peter Jones and Royal Court Theatre [see entries], plus Holy Trinity church in Sloane St (Edward Burne Jones/ William Morris-stained-glass-window alert) and Oscar Wilde's former residence at 34 Tite St. Should you find yourself walking out of a play at the Royal Court during the interval, you might perk yourself up with a pint at the Queens Head. Kinda uncool and local-feeling, but in a nice way. A bit straight-ish during the day, at its gay peak on Friday evenings. Buzzwords include karaoke (every other Saturday), cabaret (every month or so) and quizzes (Tuesday). Tube station: Sloane Square.