The Holy Tavern, EC1

St Peters owned ale house in central london. Very small and old, and has excellent character. There is more space at the back, though its all limited, dark green walls & has a nice feel of a back street boozer. Full St Peters range, served from taps on 'casks' at the back of the bar. Good beer, lovely pub

The exterior of this pub boasts the year 1720, but in fact this particular Jerusalem Tavern has only been a pub since 1996. But the name has been around this part of the world for hundreds of years. There was a Jerusalem Tavern near the Knights Hospitaliers priory gates, the remains of which are just around the corner, as far back as the 14th Century, and later versions were around until the 19th Century. Anyway, the current pub is a pretty basic and cramped affair. Seating is at a premium, although there are a handful of tables, chairs and benches scattered around the place. And standing room isn’t much better; three people propping up the bar would make it tricky for anyone else to get served. The walls are painted a dark charcoal colour, and there is little in the way of decor, although for some reason there is a stuffed animal (the genus of which eluded me) in a glass case on one of the walls at the back. I don’t normally like these sort of visually dull and minimalist places, but this one is sufficiently different in an intimate sort of way, and possibly unique, from the run of the mill to warrant a visit. The availability of St Peter’s Brewery ales is a definite plus of course.

Randomness Guide to London - Jerusalem Tavern entry

Randomness Guide to London - Jerusalem Tavern entry

A nice, if somewhat small, old fashioned pub, tucked away in the back streets of the city, but well worth seeking out for the excellent range of beers from the St Peters Brewery, including at least five on draught behind the bar with the rest of the range available in bottles. I tried the Extra Gold (£3.10) which was very good and went down well in the hot sun as I sat out on one of the two benches fixed to the front of the building. Space is at a bit of a premium inside, with tables set in any little nook available. It was pretty dark and gloomy inside when I visited and I suspect that the pub isn't best appreciated on one of the warmest days of the year, but I could see that it had a lot of character and appeal. This isn't the easiest pub to just stumble across given its obscure location, which means that it tends to be frequented mostly by those that have made the effort to seek it out. I'm glad I made the effort myself.

If you can get here outside the busy periods, you will find one of the great hidden gems of London. Full of character, with a number of cosy wooden alcoves, and a tiny raised area with three seats that resembles a pulpit. First class St Peters ales on draught. Absolutely top of the range.