The Princess of Shoreditch, EC2

Dating from 1742, though probably rebuilt in the 19th century, this was once The Princess Royal and was a Whitbread pub, as evidenced by some lettering that escaped being stripped out along with all this pub's other history. This is very much a Hoxton/Shoreditch hipster pub, totally stripped out with a helical staircase leading to a restaurant above. Devoid of décor, with a pale grey colour scheme, this is what you'd expect in this part of London; furniture is basic and the floor is bare boarded. There's a modern bar back which hosts umpteen bottles of wine and music is muted - a bit. Hipster bearded staff were a bit too cool for school and served Cwth (pronounced 'butch') Tiny Rebel Brewing's Welsh Red Ale. Thereafter is was just Hackney Brewery's American Pale Ale at £2.20 a half and good to boot. This pub probably appeals if you have a hipster beard, wear a checked shirt and have EC2 tattooed on your wrist, but The Barley Mow just up the road does it soooo much better. I won't be returning...

I called into this place early on a Friday evening just as it was warming up with the Hoxton crowd. Very clean and new looking, wooden floors, sparse but nice décor with a few prints around the walls. I was surprised to find three hand pumps and they had some interesting beers, including two local ones, Sambrooks Wandle and Meantime London Pale Ale. The other was Adnams Lighthouse, all at £3.50 a pint. I found the service to be excellent and there is both table and bar service plus a few stools at the bar so that you don’t feel you are in a restaurant. There is a restaurant, or dining room as it must be called, upstairs. Some of the prices on the menu I spotted were almost as shocking as the dish descriptions were confusing. They have a starter of ‘Foie Gras Ballotine, Pickled Ceps and Chevill‘, which I think translates to ‘Meat Paste and a few Mushrooms sprinkled with Parsley’, all for a bargain £9.50. I can’t see me eating here but for a clean friendly bar with decent ales it’s OK for a pint or two to unwind of an evening.

Official site of the Princess of Shoreditch - www.theprincessofshoreditch.com

Official site of the Princess of Shoreditch - www.theprincessofshoreditch.com

During my recent visit this place was serving up Landlord, Adnams and a selection of premium lagers with another unidentified ale being off. The other punters seemed to be having an ‘I can talk louder than you' competition so I decided to finish my pint outside with a nice relaxing cigarette. I didn't find the staff to be overly friendly and I can stand outside any pub for a smoke so I don't plan on returning.