Marge & Marissa's Excellent [Pub] Adventure

Earlier in the semester, a few of my friends did a small pub walk in their neighborhood. It sounded like a lot of fun, as they learned a bit about the area and sampled the local ales and lagers. Pub walks seem relatively popular and there are whole tour books dedicated to topic. It seemed like a fun, interesting adventure. I decided it would be a good send-off for Marge, but I wanted something that would appeal to our interests as well, so I began looking/Googling for pubs with unique, historic atmospheres. As Marge and I had to get up very early (6AM) the next morning to see her off to the airport, we kept the drinking to a few samples, but we took notes at every pub and ranked them based on atmosphere and their selection of ale and lager.

5) Seven Stars
52-54 Carey Street

Built in 1602, this pub is nestled right at the edge of Lincoln's Inn Fields and right behind the Royal Courts of Justice. The area is quiet and quaint, and the pub itself is rather small and homey. It seems to attract a crowd of regulars but not a lot of newcomers. There were only a couple small rooms with a very cramped bar, and I couldn't imagine coming here with a large group. Playing off its proximity to the Royal Courts of Justice, the place is decorated with a sort of 'law' theme. There are several portraits of judges hanging around the bar. Additionally, the bar is home to Roxy, the bar cat, and there are pictures of Roxy and even drinks named after Roxy.

I really wanted to like this place, and I can imagine I would like it a lot more if I lived next door and frequented regularly. While the pub boasts a variety of real ales, the only menus were wine or food, so we sort of had to guess at the selection. On tap, there was mostly Sambrook's Brewery ales. I tried the Wandle, a light amber ale, which I found to taste rather watery although it had a strong, wheaty aftertaste. It was pleasant enough and very light, but it was comparatively lacking.

4) Old Bank of England
194 Fleet Street

The architecture of this building is simply incredible. Originally built in 1888 as a law courts branch of the Bank of England, it was opened as a pub in 1995. The decor is very lavish, and I could imagine the place being frequented by the cream of Victorian society. Its major shortcoming was the slightly modernized feel. Both Marge and I agreed that it felt like a modern bar trying to mimic an older feel. Regardless, it is totally worth a stop-in just for the architecture. When we arrived, there were very few people at the pub. Perhaps the large space is deceiving, but it seemed the most empty.

The bar stocks almost exclusively Fuller's. I tried the London Pride and Marge tried the London Porter. The London Pride is a pretty standard, very popular London brew. It's a rich, red amber in color and has a strong malt taste without being too bitter. However, the London Porter was Marge's top pick for the evening. It was a dark ale, strong and heavy but not overpowering with an interesting coffee undertone.

3) Ye Olde Mitre
1 Ely Court

The building was built in 1547 but first opened as a pub in 1750. It's apparently the hardest pub to find in London, but it was still pretty crowded when we got there. Marge and I ranked this place rather high on account of the atmosphere. The tiny alleyway that leads to this pub is somewhat hidden, but the pub itself sits in a small courtyard. I almost felt like I'd walked through the wardrobe into Narnia; coming off some empty side street into this bustling pub. It was rather warm and a lot of people were enjoying their drinks in the courtyard area. The inside is warm and homey with a fireplace by the bar. There is an upstairs room and although the rooms are quite small and the pub was quite crowded, it wasn't stifling; instead it felt cozy.

The selection consisted of the basic Fuller's ales, but they had two 'special' ales that seem to change weekly. The food selection was limited, but apparently their toasted sandwiches are very good; however, they weren't serving when we arrived. Marge and I each tried the special Seafarer's Ale, which I ranked as my favorite. It was a light, amber ale with a very subtle taste and aftertaste and is somehow reminiscent of the sea. Marge and I were trying to put a name to the flavor but failed.

2) Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
145 Fleet Street

I've been here before, but I really love the atmosphere and we included it as the last stop on our walk. The entrance to this pub is off a small alleyway and as soon as you step off Fleet Street, it's like stepping back in time. There are 4 bars in the building and each has its own feel and character. There's one small bar near the entrance with a cozy fireplace and an almost hunting lodge aura. The main bar feels the most like a traditional pub bar. Another bar on the lower level is a homey cellar bar and the upper level bar has a more sit-down, restaurant feel. While the current structure was built in 1667 (after the original burned in the Great Fire), there has been a pub at that location since 1538 (and apparently counts many famous historical figures among its regular clientele, from Charles Dickens to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), and it feels as though it's changed very little since that time.

The bars serve ales and lagers from Samuel Smith's brewery, which we also enjoyed at our #1 pub. I had the Alpine Lager, which was a golden lager that had a very subtle, crisp flavor. It wasn't strong or hopsy and very refreshing. Marge had the Extra Stout, which was a dark, rich ale, but not as heavy as the London Porter.

1) Cittie of Yorke
22 High Holborn

This was far and away our favorite pub. The location has been a pub since 1430, and it's really a step back in time. The main bar has a high, raftered ceiling and huge wine vats above the bar. There's an interesting triangular fireplace in the middle of the bar area, and there are several booths tucked into nooks around the outside of the main bar. A separate (quieter) cellar bar serves inexpensive, and relatively tasty pub food (we had dinner here).

This pub also serves Samuel Smith's, and I tried the organic cider with dinner. I was very impressed by the cider (I could actually taste a bit if apple) and tried a wheat beer at the main bar. It was pretty inexpensive and very good (especially for the price). It was refreshing and crisp with a cloudy, golden color, but while enjoyable, it wasn't a favorite. Marge tried the Old Brewery Bitter, a nutty ale that was pretty standard.