Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
25
Old Bank of England
194 Fleet St, EC4
T
020 7430
2255,
W
oldbankofengland.co.uk;
!
Temple or
Chancery Lane; map p.144.
Not the actual Bank of
England, but in the Law Courts' branch, this imposing High
Victorian banking hall is now an opulent Fuller's ale-and-
pie pub. Unusually for this area, there's courtyard seating,
too.
Mon-Fri 11am-11pm.
Ì
Seven Stars
53-54 Carey St, WC1
T
020 7242
8521;
!
Holborn; map p.144.
This diminutive boozer
dates from 1602 and oozes quirky charm - there's even a
sleepy pub cat. It's a friendly spot, attracting a surprisingly
mixed clientele. Real ales and home-made food.
Mon-Fri
11am-11pm, Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-10.30pm.
Ye Olde Mitre
1 Ely Court, EC1
T
020 7405 4751,
W
yeoldemitreholburn.co.uk;
!
Farringdon; map
p.144.
Hidden down a tiny alleyway between Ely Place and
Hatton Garden, this Fuller's pub dates back to 1546,
although it was rebuilt in the eighteenth century. The low-
ceilinged, wood-panelled rooms are packed with history
and the real ales are excellent.
Mon-Fri 11am-11pm.
CLERKENWELL
Café Kick
43 Exmouth Market, EC1
T
020 7837 8077,
W
cafekick.co.uk;
!
Farringdon or Angel; map p.150.
This chaotic, shabbily cool French-style café-bar is a great
spot for a beer, usually accompanied by high-spirited
table-football games. There's another ranch (
Bar Kick
) at
127 Shoreditch High St, E1.
Mon-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri
& Sat 11am-midnight, Sun noon-10.30pm.
Dovetail
9 Jerusalem Passage, EC1
T
020 7490 7321,
W
dovepubs.com;
!
Farringdon; map p.150.
Marvellous, understated Belgian bar, from the same
people behind the
Dove
in Broadway Market (see p.397)
offering around one hundred Belgian beers, including a
dozen or so on tap. First-rate food, too, much of it Belgian.
Mon-Sat noon-11pm.
Ì
The Eagle
159 Farringdon Rd, EC1
T
020 7837
1353;
!
Farringdon; map p.150.
The first (and still one
of the best) of London's gastropubs, serving excellent
Mediterranean food. This place is often heaving for lunch
and dinner, but you should be able to find a seat at other
times.
Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-5pm.
Fox & Anchor
115 Charterhouse St, EC1
T
020 7250
1300,
W
foxandanchor.com;
!
Barbican; map p.150.
The cosy snugs in this gloriously restored Victorian
Smithfield pub are perfect for hunkering down to drink
cask ales - in a pewter tankard if you want to go the whole
hog. Good British gastro food, too, and guest rooms
upstairs.
Mon-Fri 7am-11pm, Sun 8.30am-11pm, Sun
8.30am-10pm.
Ì
Jerusalem Tavern
55 Britton St, EC1
T
020 7490
4281;
!
Farringdon; map p.150.
Tiny, converted Georgian
coffee house - the frontage dates from 1810 - that has a
ra
sh, sociable character. The excellent draught beers are
from St Peter's Brewery in Suffolk.
Mon-Fri 11am-11pm.
The Peasant
240 St John St, EC1
T
020 7336 7726,
W
thepeasant.co.uk;
!
Farringdon or Angel; map
p.150.
Handsome, spacious gastropub - smart but relaxed
- serving good food upstairs or at the bar. It can get busy,
but it's large enough never to be oppressive.
Mon-Sat
noon-11pm, Sun noon-10.30pm.
Slaughtered Lamb
34-35 Great Sutton St, EC1
T
020 7253 1516,
W
theslaughteredlambpub.co.uk;
!
Barbican or Farringdon; map p.150.
Lots of live music
and events downstairs, with funky pub grub served in the
spacious upstairs room.
Mon-Thurs 11.30am-midnight,
Fri 11.30am-1am, Sat noon-1am, Sun 12.30-10.30pm.
Ì
The Three Kings
7 Clerkenwell Close, EC1
T
020
7253 0483;
!
Farringdon; map p.150.
Unimprovable
Clerkenwell favourite tucked away just north of Clerkenwell
Green, with an eclectic interior, big windows and two small
rooms upstairs perfect for lingering. Interesting craft beers
and food, too. It's next to
The Crown
, which is also worth a
trip.
Mon-Fri noon-11pm, Sat 5.30-11pm.
THE CITY
The Black Friar
174 Queen Victoria St, EC4
T
020 7236
5474;
!
Blackfriars; map pp.156-157.
Quirky, relaxing
place to drink, now a Nicholson's pub, with Art Nouveau marble
friezes of boozy monks and a highly decorated alcove - all
original, dating from 1905.
Mon-Thurs 10am-11.30pm, Fri
& Sat 10am-midnight, Sun 10am-11pm.
Jamaica Wine House
St Michael's Alley, EC3
T
020
7929 6972,
W
shepherdneame.co.uk;
!
Bank; map
pp.156-157.
The “Jam Pot”, in a narrow alleyway on the
site of London's first coffee house (1652), is an old City
institution, now owned by Shepherd Neame. It's divided
into four large “snugs” by original, high wood-panelled
partitions.
Mon-Fri 11am-11pm.
The Lamb Tavern/Old Tom's Bar
10-12 Leadenhall
Market, EC3
T
020 7626 2454,
W
lambtavernleadenhall
.com;
!
Monument; map pp.156-157.
In the middle of
Leadenhall Market, this historic Young's pub offers almost
exclusively standing room only (both inside and out) for a
suited local crowd. The basement bar
, Old Tom's
, is a little
more on-trend, serving London beers and artisan cheese
and meat platters.
Mon-Fri 11am-11pm.
The Old Bell
95 Fleet St, EC4
T
020 7583 0216;
!
Blackfriars or St Paul's; map pp.156-157.
Excellent
Nicholson's pub - worth going out of your way for in this
corner of town. The hassle-free atmosphere combines the
bustle of Fleet St with the quiet calm of St Bride's, which
the pub opens out to at its rear.
Mon-Fri 11am-11pm,
Sat noon-8pm, Sun noon-5pm.
