Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese has been in existence since 1538 and was rebuilt one year after the great fire. This historic pub has seen the likes of many literary figures over the years (Dickens, Twain, Doyle, Tennyson to name a few) and is still running strong.
It’s as classic a pub as you could get and well worth ducking into. It’s divided into a bar room and a dining room. Both are pretty active every day of the week, so if you want to dine there, do make a reservation in advance, particularly for groups. We were lucky enough to get the last reservation on a Tuesday evening and saw many people turned away from the dining room during our dinner.
The atmosphere is exactly what you’d want. Minimalist, lots of heavy, dark wood, but still with a cozy feel. There are lovely corner booths in the dining room with a curtain you can draw, so you and your group can have a bit of privacy if you book early enough to grab that table. The service is very friendly and the food is classic English pub food.
They are also one of the only places in London to do a traditional roast every day of the week and not just on Sundays! We, of course, had the roast of the day, which was beef. It’s served rare/medium rare, with two Yorkshire puds and roasted potatoes. It comes with a traditional gravy poured all over or on the side upon request. We got it with a side of roasted vegetables (large!) and a potato and leek soup with poppy seed bread to start (all soups are made fresh daily). I am not a roast connoisseur (nor really much of a fan to be honest), so I cannot speak to the quality of the meal myself, but it seems to be up to snuff based on patronage and reputation.
If you’re looking to spend a few hours in a pub, this is definitely one to consider. It’s exactly what you’d want and provides the authentic experience in food, beverage, and feeling!
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