ReviewNamed after a local tradesman who manufactured printing presses for Fleet Street, this is a new craft beer bar from the people behind the Well and Bucket in Shoreditch. Set in the ground floor and basement of an office block, the pub presents a very stylish approach to city drinking. The main bar is on the ground floor which sees a large room with dark wood flooring dominated by a large, copper-topped, C shaped servery on the right hand side. The bar back has dark tiles and some Victorian wedding photos with skulls superimposed over some of the guest's heads in a style that Well and Bucket customers will be familiar with. There are some button backed banquettes underneath the large front windows servicing a number of tables. This area narrows to the right into a V-shaped nook with a huge pub mirror above a drinking ledge and high stools. The left side of the room sees more banquettes arranged under bare brick walls decorated with more of the zombie-like portraits and a large 'Lobsters and Oysters' mirror. To the rear there is a woodblock-style walled recess with a long U shaped banquette and minimal décor, offering a little privacy from the rest of the room, whilst to the right of this, a single bench and some standard chairs serve a long table under long skylit windows. A door at the rear leads out to a rear patio courtyard. Stairs take you down to a dark, dingy cocktail bar in a fancy tiled room with a large servery and comfortable formal seating including at a few partly screened tables. Music played quite loudly throughout my Friday evening stay but it was still quiet enough to hold a sensible conversation.
I initially missed the row of hand pumps on the front part of the servery and ended up sampling a hoppy wheat beer as recommended to me by the helpful barman who told me it was from the Toll Brewery, although I can't seem to find any information on them. Having purchased this, I wandered round to discover that I'd missed out on Wild Beer Fresh and Mallinsons Ella, as well as one real cider and an unused pump.
I liked the feel of this place which I thought was pitched very well to suit those working nearby as well having something for the passer-by. The fact that it's an office conversion means it lacks the feel of a true pub, but for a modern bar in this part of town, I thought it was just about as good as you're likely to get and I would happily return.
