Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub
Duke of Somerset: Darts in Aldgate, London
The Duke of Somerset is a Stonegate pub tucked off Aldgate, a minute from the City fringe, with one steel-tip dartboard in a dedicated spot on the right as you head toward the toilets. The board went in during 2024 with backing from the City of London Darts Association (CoLDA), so this is a proper league pub rather than a token board in a corner. It suits anyone who wants a free, no-fuss throw after work alongside a pint, plus regulars chasing league darts on match nights. The single most useful thing to know: play is free and casual, so you can just turn up and use the board when there isn't a fixture on. Expect craft beer, premium spirits with a big gin range, pub food served through the day, and a planted beer-garden terrace out front.
Contact
- Website Visit site ↗
- Address 15 Little Somerset Street, Aldgate, London, E1 8AH
Opening hours
- Mon 12:00-23:00
- Tue 12:00-23:00
- Wed 12:00-23:00
- Thu 12:00-00:00
- Fri 12:00-23:00
- Sat 12:00-23:00
- Sun Closed
Good to know
- Darts
The darts setup
There is one board here, a steel-tip dartboard set in its own area on the right of the pub as you walk toward the toilets. It is a recent addition, fitted in 2024 with help from CoLDA, so the throw line and lighting are in better shape than the average ageing pub board. With a single oche you are looking at one game at a time, fine for a pair or a small group taking turns, less so for a big crowd all wanting to play at once. Bring your own darts if you have a set, though house arrows are the norm at a casual pub board. There is no booking system and no scoring tech, just chalk and your own counting.
The darts scene here
The Duke is a CoLDA-affiliated venue, so it hosts City of London Darts Association league matches and the regulars take their darts seriously. The board only came back recently: the pub had an old board that nobody used while the nearby Still and Star drew all the darts crowd, and when that pub closed and was boarded up the Duke stepped in with a fresh CoLDA board. If you turn up on a league night the oche may be tied up with a fixture, so it is worth a quick word with the bar to check what is on. On a quiet evening you will have the board to yourself.
Good to know
Playing darts here is free, with no booking and no session charge, so you just turn up and throw when the board is free. It is a full Stonegate pub, not a darts bar, so the wider draw is the drink and food: craft beers, premium spirits with an extensive gin range, smash burgers and pub food served through the day, plus a bottomless brunch. There are TVs for live sport and a large planted beer garden out front, handy in summer. Sundays it is closed, so plan your darts trip for a weekday or Saturday. Aldgate and Aldgate East stations are both a short walk, with Fenchurch Street and Tower Hill close by too.
Common questions
- What is the Duke of Somerset?
- It is a Stonegate pub on Little Somerset Street in Aldgate, E1, with one steel-tip dartboard. The board sits in a dedicated area on the right of the pub on the way to the toilets and went in during 2024 with support from the City of London Darts Association (CoLDA), so it is used for league darts as well as casual play.
- Is darts free at the Duke of Somerset?
- Yes. It is a free pub board with casual walk-in play, so there is no charge to throw and no paid session or booking. Buy a drink, use the board when it is free, and you are set.
- Do you need to book to play darts here?
- No. There is no booking system. You can just turn up and use the board when it is free. The exception is league nights, when the oche may be taken up by a CoLDA fixture, so it is worth checking with the bar before you settle in.
- How many dartboards does the Duke of Somerset have?
- One. It is a single steel-tip dartboard set in its own dedicated area, fitted in 2024 with help from CoLDA. With one oche it suits a pair or small group taking turns rather than a large crowd all playing at once.
- Is the Duke of Somerset good for beginners and groups?
- Yes for casual play and small groups, since the board is free and there is no pressure to book. It is a CoLDA league pub, so regulars take their darts seriously, but on a quiet weekday evening you can get the board to yourself and have a relaxed throw. Big crowds are tighter given there is only one oche.
- What is the nearest station to the Duke of Somerset?
- Aldgate and Aldgate East are both a short walk away, and Fenchurch Street and Tower Hill are close by too. The pub is at 15 Little Somerset Street, just off Aldgate on the City fringe.
Other darts bars nearby
- The Three Tuns (Aldgate) Aldgate (City of London), EC3
- The Three Tuns Aldgate (City of London / Tower Hamlets, EC3)
- The Brown Bear Aldgate (Tower Hamlets), E1
- The Cheshire Cheese (Crutched Friars) City of London City of London
- Cheshire Cheese City of London, EC3
- The Artful Dodger Tower Hamlets, E1