"A search for the oldest public house in London turns up several venerable claimants. But the most authentic may be Ye Olde Mitre, near Chancery Lane tube stop in the Holborn district of central London. It boasts an age of nearly five centuries, established in 1547. That makes it hands down the oldest pub in London. Then again, a slight cavil might be raised that while something like a pub or a tavern probably has been in this spot since Henry VIII, it’s in dispute whether the current building could be that old. But it certainly looks like it might be, as the wee rooms, wood panels and walls of pictures offer exactly what every Anglophile would expect a true British pub to be. If a dictionary of illustrations could be produced, best entry for “cozy” would be this little place. It may also be among the most demure, tucked behind a street in London’s jewelry store district. It’s just off Hatton Garden, but look closely for the sign among the dazzles of diamonds. Likely nobody is going to stumble across Ye Olde Mitre by accident. A narrow passage, 1 Ely Court, brings you to a few outdoor tables. Inside, the pub rooms are not much bigger than an average living room. One is even called “Ye Closet.” More tables out back, and an upstairs, but for the most part visitors can really imagine themselves sitting back on a worn stool to drink a pint or two with Shakespeare’s spirit. Beers are by Fuller, a London stalwart, and included are some unusual brews on tap, such as “mild.” “Seldom found in London,” observed a bloke at the next table. “Usually found in the Midlands.” When you seem to be sitting in someone’s living room, you may feel like striking up a chat. Pub grub is modest, “toasties,” that is, toasted sandwiches and crisps. Service is low-key and the venue, set back from the street, quiet. It may not be London’s most lively pub, and certainly it is not the biggest, but it may be the oldest and certainly it is among the most charming."
