Old Fountain, Old Street, EC1

Backstreet pub with entrances from both Baldwin Street and Peerless Street. Entering from Baldwin Street, you find yourself in the lower room, where the bar has 2 or 3 handpulls. Some were clipped on my visit, but service is from the upper bar where thirsty drinkers were queueing 2 or 3 deep on Wednesday evening. Beers are listed on a blackboard next to the bar. There is a good range of both real ales and craft beer, along with a real cider too. Ales were Utopian Bow English IPA, Drop Project Choppy, Sambrook's Drop Kick, Oakham Citra & Thornbridge Lord Marples. The cider was Oliver's Dry, whilst craft beers were Brew York Fizzy Watermelons & Nightmare of Brew York 2022, Brew York/SALT Hopbusters, Hackney Boogie Van, Polly's Floret, a beer from The Kernel (which said check with bar staff to discover which!), Yeastie Boys/Utopian New Zealand IPA, Iron Pier Cast Iron Stout, Siren Suspended In Eldorado & Howling Hops Top Crop. When quiet, it's a nice, relaxing place to visit. This time, it was much busier and I headed upstairs to the roof terrace, where our group had a table booked. Patio heaters make sure you're still kept warm in the winter and there was much more space for us. Still one of the best, if not the best real ale pubs in the City and worth seeking out if you don't know about it.