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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
The Bishops Finger, Smithfield, EC1
EC1
EC1A 9JR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Bishops Finger
Only open during the week, this Shepherd Neame establishment was the last remaining pub in the Good Beer Guide in Central London that I was yet to visit.
I arrived on a Friday lunchtime to find it fairly busy with all tables taken or reserved. Most people were standing at the bar, but some of the reservations were for later in the afternoon. So, we still managed to bag a table. The ground floor room feels fairly traditional and has many small pictures on the walls.We did also take a peak at the upstairs room on a visit to the gents. Whilst there were tables available in there, those that were occupied were with people working on laptops. So, there may well have been some kind of works do taking place.
At the bar, Shepherd Neame Spitfire & Bishop's Finger are the regular cask ales. In addition, there was also Shepherd Neame Whitstable Bay Pale Ale & their Christmas Ale. Craft beers were Shepherd Neame Bear Island, First Drop & Whitstable Bay Black Stout, as well as Beavertown Neck Oil.
The barman seemed a bit of a character. He drew a cross on his chest when I only ordered a half of the Christmas Ale, which was at least one of the better Shepherd Neame beers I've had.
On 15th December 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about The Bishops Finger
It was a bit lively here at lunch time and I went upstairs to the overflow seating, but this was in use for a private function. My half of Spitfire was a little on the cold side, and didn't improve in flavour as it warmed (NBSS 2.5). Others have obviously taken a rosier view, as this pub is in the current Good Beer Guide.
On 7th November 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Bishops Finger
An attractive and traditional looking pub just across the road from Smithfield Market, it’s reasonably compact internally and was pretty much full to capacity on my recent Tuesday evening visit, although I did manage to squeeze in to a small table in the corner.
Décor wise it’s fairly unremarkable, with black wooden boards on the floor that have been polished smooth over the years, white embossed wallpaper on the ceiling and black supporting pillars, whilst the walls were predominately a pale taupe colour, with some deep maroon off to the left. A number of old pictures were on the walls including some of the local market, as well as various brewery related advertising and artefacts. Seating was a mixture of regular tables and chairs, some smaller high tables and a little padded bench seating. A carved wooden backdrop behind the bar was something of a feature, incorporating the pub’s name, a clock and a brewery mirror.
The menu offered a decent selection of pub grub dishes, including a number of sausages which appear to be something of a speciality, with today’s selection chalked up on a blackboard. I opted for the smoked haddock fishcakes and these were perfectly adequate, if nothing spectacular, but for the £12.50 price point I though they were very good value given the area.
Beers on tap were all from Shepherd Neame with their Bishop’s Finger, Spitfire and Whitstable Bay, whilst a fourth pump appeared unused. The solitary cider meanwhile was Orchard View. Overall, whilst nothing particularly made it stand out, the staff were very friendly and the food was good value. I’d be happy to return if in the area.
On 16th May 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Bishops Finger
A pretty basic and straight forward Shepherd Neame pub, it didn't do a lot for me much like their beers.
On 28th April 2023
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Bishops Finger
As described below, bare boarded with basic furniture, some high tables and chairs and columns; there's also an interesting patterned ceiling. Muted music played and there were no TVs (gain one point!).
Ales on: Spitfire, Whitstable Bay Pale Ale, Bootleg Brewing Co's Speakeasy and no surprise, Bishop's Finger at £4.20 which is fair for the area, and a decent pint.
This is a decent enough place and I'd return, but I'd prefer the short walk to The Hand & Shears.
On 25th March 2016
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bishops Finger
Shepherd Neame's Smithfield pub, with a fairly small square-ish bar and an upstairs dining room. Of no particular interest inside, but still a proper pub with traditional furniture and decor. On this visit, I found MasterBrew, Whitstable Bay, Spitfire and (inevitably) Bishops Finger (£4.20) on the four handpumps.
On 16th January 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Bishops Finger
This pub used to be called The Rutland Arms before Shepherd Neame acquired it, along with the nearby Olde Red Cow, some thirty or so years ago. They renamed it The Bishops Finger after their strong ale, which in turn was named after an old type of road sign usually found on the route to Canterbury. This is a late Victorian pub, but as far as I could tell the only thing definitely remaining from that era is the pair of cast iron pillars in the middle of the room, although the ceiling decoration may be an original Lincrusta style design. The place is bare-boarded, has high stools and high tables in a row down the middle of the room, with banquettes, tables and chairs round the sides. Every inch of the walls is covered by prints, and although it has been extensively modernised over the years, you could certainly not accuse this pub of being minimalist in decor. The laptop area (actually a small ledge) was not in use as such during my visit, but the soft padded framed mirror on the wall above the ledge is still in place, presumably as an elf ‘n safety measure to protect the heads of frustrated computer users. I found it to be fairly gloomy inside this pub, not helped by the awning to shelter those using the handful of aluminium tables and chairs in the front of the pub.
It’s still a Shepherd Neame pub, so the usual ales are on offer. I had a reasonable drop of Masterbrew, at £3.10 a pint. I didn’t eat there, but I noticed that mains were at or around the £7.95 mark, and sarnies around £4 - £6. This is another OK pub – there’s nothing special about it, but it is immaculately turned out, and OK for a pint if you’re happy with SN ales.
On 20th April 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]