Olde Mitre

You need to be in the know to find this hidden gem that's tucked away down a tiny alley. These days, it's all too rare in London to find proper hands-on licensees who genuinely care for their pub and their customers – but Mr and Mrs Scott do just that and our readers love it. The cosy small rooms have lots of dark panelling as well as antique settles and - particularly in the popular back room, where there are more seats - old local pictures and so forth. It gets good-naturedly packed with the city suited and booted between 12.30 and 2.15, filling up again in the early evening, but in the early afternoons and by around 9pm becomes a good deal more tranquil. An upstairs room, mainly used for functions, may double as an overflow at peak periods. Adnams Broadside, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Fullers London Pride and Gales Seafarer and guests like BrewDog Trashy Blonde and Titanic White Star on handpump, and they hold three beer festivals a year. No music, TV or machines - the only games here are board games. There's some space for outside drinking by the pot plants and jasmine in the narrow yard between the pub and St Ethelreda's church (which is worth a look). Note the pub doesn't open weekends. The iron gates that guard one entrance to Ely Place are a reminder of the days when the law in this district was administered by the Bishops of Ely. The best approach is from Hatton Garden, walking up the right-hand side away from Chancery Lane; an easily missed sign on a lamp post points the way down a narrow alley. No children.