Hoop & Grapes, Aldgate, EC3

The best place to appreciate the age of this pub is from the front entrance where the very well worn steps and distorted ,sloping front window attest to many centuries of use.Inside it's all rather Nicholson's chain pub,but the front section with a bench seat below said window is by far the calmest spot.The interior is long and thin,with a side opening for a long bar,while opposite a glazed dividing panel creates a mini snug below a sloping glazed roof light.At the rear is a wait to be seated dining area,with Fish House wall sign indicating the menu bias.However bar snacks can be consumed anywhere else in the interior,at what looked like reasonable prices. Sadly the chain vibe is never far away and the muzak was much too loud and the bar was staffed with an inexperienced crew who took no notice of how long someone may have been waiting for service. However the ale selection was decent on my trip with Nicholsons Pale,Hogs Back TEA,Doom Bar,London Pride ,Sharps Atlantic,Purity Bunny Hop,Siren Broken Dream (on top form) and a real cider from the 8 pumps. It's worth a squint ,plus real ale outlets close to Aldgate are limited but not quiet enough to justify a long session here despite some historic interest.

A first in here the other day and this is a pub well described below. It's in Aldgate, a City fringe area which is a bit depressing and where you wouldn't want to linger long. In general though, this pub make up for it, dating back to 1593 and having leant to the by 18 inches over the years, or so we are told. The pub appears to have been much altered over the years with a mix of old - seemingly very old - and quite new, notable in the rather ugly electrical cables that festoon the ceiling. The pub was surprisingly and pleasantly quiet on our early evening visit, ales on offer being Nicholson's Pale Ale, Truman's Runner, Jennings' Cocker Hoop, Rooster's California Common, Portobello's Very Pale Ale, a blank pump and Harviestoun's Summer Legend at a very reasonable £1.95 a half. I would have given this pub at least another mark but for the presence of a games machine and TV sport, albeit tennis with the sound off. This place is definitely worth a trip and even a detour - I'd certainly come again if in the area. That said I try to avoid this area.