The Victoria, Mile End, E3

Quite a dark gothic/hammer house style interior serving 1 real ale and food. Whiff-waff table at the back.

This pub doesn't open weekday lunchtimes. The only ale on here was something called DNA, by Charles Wells, and according to the pump clip it is a collaboration with Dogfish Head, the US brewery. Thus it’s a heavily hopped ale, but a decent drop nonetheless. Food was advertised on a chalkboard, available between 5 – 10 PM Tuesday – Friday. Burgers seemed to be the main food on offer, at around £8 - £9. It’s all a bit Antic-esque inside, with a lifesize model of a grass-skirted South Seas maiden near some of the sofas; a table football game, and odd mismatched furnishings. Thankfully, they had made space on one of the walls to hang a portrait of the Mother of Europe herself. Lighting was at a premium when I dropped in after it was dark outside. You wouldn’t have much chance of reading a book or paper in here, but I suppose it’s not intended to be the sort of place where you come in for a quite pint. I didn’t mind it in here – with some natural light it would be comfortable enough, but it’s not an area that I usually visit in the evenings so I probably won’t have the opportunity for a return visit.