Tipperary

These days there are themed Irish pubs from Marbella to Shanghai, but it’s reckoned that the Tipperary (once known as the Boar’s Head) was the first outside the Emerald Isle. It began life as a medieval monastery, survived the plague, the Great Fire of London & two world wars & has preserved its most important asset – authenticity. It’s now owned by Greene King, & serves up the brewery’s well-known real ales, big-name lagers & Guinness (naturally) to a dedicated drinking crew lined up along the narrow bar. Head upstairs to the tiny, creaky-floored dining room if you fancy some staunchly traditional grub: staples such as ham & eggs, whitebait & Irish stew are supplemented by roast meats on Saturday & Sunday.