The Old Coffee House, Soho, W1

Originally the Silver Street Coffee House (when this was Silver Street), dating from the mid-18th century, but unsurprisingly rebuilt and in 1894. There’s some wood panelling but much crimson Anaglypta to the walls and ceiling; unusually for the area, the floor is carpeted. There’s a green tiled fireplace to the rear, the bar’s field panelled with a granite top and interesting wood handrail, with tall stools, otherwise furniture is conventional. There are one or two stuffed animals; a moose head protrudes from a wall and there’s a riot of copper and brassware hanging from the ceiling. There are knickknacks aplenty, along with framed prints, autographed photos of celebrities (one from Warren Beatty) and many brewery mirrors; there’s a Watney’s Red Barrel bar parapet; lighting comes from Victorian-style lamps and sconces. Some customers seemed a bit too cool for school and one woman who sat next to me at the bar was either mad, drunk or both, gyrating to the decent sounds on the stereo. Despite studiously ignoring her, she said ‘Oh. Goodbye then’ when I left. Ales: two from Brodie’s, being Shoreditch Sunshine and Bethnal Green bitter at £2.70 a half and nice; sadly, four pumps were unused. This is a fantastic place, reminiscent of a more Bohemian Soho of old; it’s a must-visit if in the area and really still fits this criterion if in central London.