Real Ales in a 17th-Century Pub Near Cheapside
Duck off Watling Street steps from St Paul's for real ale and traditional plates in a pub trading for over three centuries.
🍺 Three centuries on Watling Street
Watling Street barely registers on the tourist map, which is part of the appeal. Ye Olde Watling has poured for City workers for over three centuries, its dark timber rooms filling the moment nearby offices empty.
The draw is the cask line. The bar keeps a short list of real British ales, poured properly, next to a menu of traditional plates. Battered fish lands with chips and a bright scoop of mushy peas, and the fried starters arrive in little bowls with chilli and lemon.
Upstairs, the Sir Christopher Wren Dining Room offers a quieter table and a bit of history to chew on. It draws a steady crowd across more than three thousand reviews, which tracks once you find a corner and settle in.
Arrive early on a weekday and the room hums. Later it thins to regulars and one slow last pint.
