The Lemon Tree, WC2

A busy little bar in a corner of the Coliseum Theatre, with its entrance on an unpromising back street (blocked, at the time of my visit, by the rear part of an articulated lorry, hence my photo is askew). The young man running the bar was friendly, welcoming and professional, and showed enthusiastic interest in my book Discovering London's Inns and Taverns, whose second chapter is the basis of my pub crawl, Let's All Go Down the Strand. He regretted having to work two jobs and thus having no time to call his own, as he would have loved to explore the area in which he worked. The four hand pumps on the bar had Timothy Taylor Landlord, Harveys Sussex Best Bitter and Sambrooks Pumphouse. I went for the Harveys which was in OK condition, though I noted that all the other customers (maybe eight) were drinking lager. The wall is dominated by a dramatic drawing of the city centre made from a balloon above Hampstead Heath in the 1860s. Almost worth another visit to study that again in more detail.

Small bar tucked away on a side street. 5 real ale taps 2 on during my visit.

Small, slightly modernised interior, but still relaxing drinking space