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It rarely gets any better than this. A traditional English pub, where the beer is tasty and well kept, the staff and patrons warm and friendly.
This is not a foodies pub, for the Old Mitre is a pickled egg and gherkin pub or just simple toasted sandwiches.
With two small bars, it is found down a near forgotten alley off Hatton Garden.
Built by Bishop in Goodrich in 1546, a cherry tree marked the boundary between his land and the part leased to Sir Thomas Hatton. And inside the pub can be found a preserved chunk of cheery tree around which Queen Elizabeth I is said to have danced. This pub is a salute to hidden London.
"I want beer with flavour which is why I drink here. Most beers are served too chilled and too full of gas, not here," said one customer to a friend.
How right he was about the Orkney Dragonhead Stout which I drank. A wonderful blend of malt and chocolate flavours.
At busy times, four or five work behind the squash of a bar. This is a proper boozer, which can be a bit of a cram and looks like an old-fashioned school common room, with chairs around the walls.
The talk is of horse racing and gambling, gas fridges and camping, Xmas dinner and difficult relatives. Ordinary stuff but such is life. This is a cosy refuge from the hubbub of the streets, but be prepared to stand.
Don't go at the weekend, like many pubs in the centre of London it is closed.
Old Mitre,
1 Ely Court,
Ely Place,
London
EC1N 65J.
Tel: 020 7405 4751
Tourist information: www.visitlondon.com
"A wonderful area to explore with fabulous shops and restaurants. And if you are looking to buy a diamond there can be no better place to be."
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Regional Winners 2006
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Regional Winners 2005
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