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The Old Coffee House, Soho, W1

49 Beak Street
W1
W1F 9SF

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Moby Duck left this review about The Old Coffee House

Still very much a busy and thriving pub with a great pub atmosphere. Down to just two cask beers on my first post covid visit here, Brodies Bethnal Green and Piccadilly Pale, the latter in good shape, I stayed for two pints in what is still one of the very best Soho pubs.

Oct 2016
Another visit and found it to be as good as ever, beers tried were Piccadilly Pale and Jamaican Stout, both very good, others noted were Californian,Bethnal Green Bitter,Old Street Pale, London Fields Pale and shoreditch Sunshine, there were others though as well as some interesting keg options. One of Sohos best.

Dec 2013
Really liked this pub, If you like Brodie's Beers ,and I do,this is a must visit pub in Soho,there was about five of their range available on cask on my visit,with some unused or doubled up pumps as well, I didn't spot any evidence of a guest beer, there were also some Brodies "Craft keg " options available as well. Some low level lighting a feature of Brodies sister pub The Cross Keys in nearby Covent Garden made for an atmospheric interior.I will return to this one.

On 28th April 2023 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1868 recommendations about 1841 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Tris C left this review about The Old Coffee House

Originally the Silver Street Coffee House (when this was Silver Street), dating from the mid-18th century, but unsurprisingly rebuilt and in 1894.
There’s some wood panelling but much crimson Anaglypta to the walls and ceiling; unusually for the area, the floor is carpeted. There’s a green tiled fireplace to the rear, the bar’s field panelled with a granite top and interesting wood handrail, with tall stools, otherwise furniture is conventional. There are one or two stuffed animals; a moose head protrudes from a wall and there’s a riot of copper and brassware hanging from the ceiling. There are knickknacks aplenty, along with framed prints, autographed photos of celebrities (one from Warren Beatty) and many brewery mirrors; there’s a Watney’s Red Barrel bar parapet; lighting comes from Victorian-style lamps and sconces. Some customers seemed a bit too cool for school and one woman who sat next to me at the bar was either mad, drunk or both, gyrating to the decent sounds on the stereo. Despite studiously ignoring her, she said ‘Oh. Goodbye then’ when I left.
Ales: two from Brodie’s, being Shoreditch Sunshine and Bethnal Green bitter at £2.70 a half and nice; sadly, four pumps were unused.
This is a fantastic place, reminiscent of a more Bohemian Soho of old; it’s a must-visit if in the area and really still fits this criterion if in central London.

On 21st October 2021 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1956 recommendations about 1923 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about The Old Coffee House

Things sliding downhill here after my last couple of drop-ins. A quick visit the other day found three Brodies cask ales (no keg or bottles – I guess they are dead ducks now it’s brewed in Rhymney). All the beers were sub-par (NBSS 1, 2, 2.5). Might be my last visit for a while as I think the current management have given up on the ale, perhaps foreshadowing a disappearance of the Brodies brand entirely? A shame really because it’s a nice place.

June 2018
Decided it was time to put in an update after realising it’s been eight years with a couple of visits sandwiched in that time. Popped in again the other day, not much change inside and it does have a nice ambience. A good range of Brodies beers, guests and styles across cask (six) and keg, both of my choices, Brodies Stout and Sunshine, were in good nick. No sign of Grumpy Jock lately so hopefully he’s been P45’d. Rated 8

December 2010
This street corner boozer - originally a coffee house run by the Temperance Movement - was taken over by Brodies Brewery at the end of 2009 and I made sure I’ve dropped in a couple of times since. The exterior is enticing and gives way to a deceptively large interior, long and narrow with a bar that runs along a large length of the left-hand wall. The interior is also attractively decorated, with dark wood and brewery mirrors along with some sporting memorabilia. There are usually four to five Brodies ales on the go along with a guest, often another London-based brewery like Redemption. Quality is usually pretty good and prices are cheap for the area. The rear seating area is usually a good bet and it’s easy to settle in here for a few. A couple of minus points though; one of the barmen (manager?) is as miserable as sin and seems to find customers an inconvenience. Mate, you need to shape-up or ship out as you can put a right dampener on proceedings. Secondly, the toilets are pretty poor, even by London standards – these require a few quid spending on them. I like the place but it could be a bit better with a minimal effort and be a real ‘must-do’ on the central London circuit. Rated 7

On 20th December 2019 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5050 recommendations about 5033 pubs]


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Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Old Coffee House

Nothing much seems to have changed since my last visit to this 'proper' pub on the western side of Soho five years ago. Traditional furniture and decor, with lots of breweriana on the walls. Efficient staff and a good, friendly atmosphere (with quite a young clientele). Best known as being Brodie's central London outlet, with Piccadilly Pale Ale, London Fields Pale Ale, Bethnal Green Bitter, Guardsman Best Bitter and Soho Stout (£5.20) available from a total of six handpumps when I stopped by recently. Remains recommended.

On 28th April 2019 - rating: 8
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


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Real Ale Ray left this review about The Old Coffee House

I really liked this pub as it had a good atmosphere, good beer and a traditional and interesting interior. Six pumps in use serving five Brodies and one from Windsor and Eton. We went for the Brodies Topaz Pale Ale, which was in excellent shape and a good flavoured session ale. We stood across from the bar, where you can find a wall mounted old clocking in machine. Other main features were the two large mirrors depicting Trumans brewery and another marketing a branded whiskey. Would happily return again, when in the area.

On 9th November 2018 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3378 recommendations about 3378 pubs]


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hondo . left this review about The Old Coffee House

Quite a floral exterior on my visit. Inside it's old style bric a brac,brewery/distillery mirrors and some music memorabilia. Brodie's beers 6 real ales with keg also available.

On 25th October 2016 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]


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Ian Mapp left this review about The Old Coffee House

Not seen the Brodies range before - but they are all here.

more than could fit onto a single photo.

I found it OK.

Decent enough boozer.

Photos at my blog - http://bit.ly/2dAN8k3

On 30th September 2016 - rating: 7
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Peter Rydings left this review about The Old Coffee House

Just a quick pint then im off as said it all Just the same as the last time worth a look

On 6th August 2014 - rating: 8
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]


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Aqualung . left this review about The Old Coffee House

I arrived here at 11:00 on a wet Friday morning, The manager was just going out but said a cheery "Good Morning" and his wife served me a Shoreditch Sunshine. This was £3.50 which I gather is good value in Central London. I noticed that the Big Mofo Stout was a Keykeg option so asked about the price which was £4.80 a pint. This seemed to me to be remarkably good value for a 10.5% "Craft" beer in Central London.

The pint was a bit hazy which may be due to it being a highly chilled pale beer. I welcome the chilling in the summer months.

The pub itself was much as you would expect from the reviews below. If in the area I would always come here rather than one of the ridiculously expensive alternatives.


I heard on the grapevine that the manager who I briefly met, was something of a "dour Scotsman".
While I don't think it likely that any time soon he'll be replacing Vernon Kaye as the host of Family Fortunes, he seemed OK to me.
I was thinking of other famous Scotsmen, Gordon Brown, Andy Murray, Sir Alex Ferguson and came to the conclusion that he was just a typical Scot.

His wife who is also Scottish was absolutely charming.

On 29th June 2013 - rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


john mcgraw left this review about The Old Coffee House

A comfortable pub in Soho which I have visited several and have had some excellent Brodies beers here. Today however the beers were not so good and I can't help wondering if their cask ales are suffering for the sake of key kegs which is also true at The King William IV. Of course it may have been an off day and I will definitely be making further visits.

On 1st June 2013 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]

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