The Tipperary, Fleet Street, EC4

Official site of The Tipperary - www.thetipperarypub.com

Official site of The Tipperary - www.thetipperarypub.com

Quite a small narrow interior. 4 real ale taps(3 on).

Originally know as the Boar's Head, this classic Victorian corridor pub lays claim to being the first Irish bar in the capital, having come into Irish ownership in 1895. The pub probably hasn't changed much over the years, with its basic, narrow layout not offering much scope for alterations. The place is designed for vertical drinking, with the servery running down the left hand wall and a few bar stools providing the only seating options The right hand wall has some large brewery and pub mirrors which help to give the illusion of a bit more space and the ornate bar back also has some complex and attractive glasswork as well as several whiskey jugs, ceramics and rugby balls. The floor boasts a nice mosaic tile pattern with numerous shamrocks. There is a small snug to the front, inside an etched glass, dark wood panelled space with basic seating. There is also another table in the stairwell area at the rear of the pub, where a collection of Irish coins has been put on display alongside numerous posters of Irish musician. The stairs lead up to the Boar's Head room which was closed on my visit but is presumably pretty compact as well. The pub has a typical pub grub menu with most of the mains coming in at around £8.50, which seems pretty reasonable for Central London. The pub was previously tied to Greene King but appears to now be operating as a freehouse, allowing them to showcase beers from the Upham Brewery of Hampshire on this visit. Three Upham beers - Tipster, Punter and Stakes - were available, with a fourth pump left unclipped. I tried the Tipster which was in pretty good shape and a decent session ale. The staff seemed very friendly and they were enjoying some good banter with a few of their regulars, with much uproarious laughter ensuing. This is another fine Fleet Street pub and a good example of a well preserved Victorian vertical drinking establishment. The possibility of finding some interesting beers makes the pub worth a look when on a crawl in the area and although the environment isn't perhaps conducive to an extended session, it remains a solid option in an area blessed with plenty of good pubs.