Cross Keys

Bric-a-brac, knick-knacks, curios, ephemera, brasses & Beatles memorabilia: the landlord could be in for a tidy sum if he ever decided to de-clutter & go on TV’s Cash in the Attic. Just about everyone who works in or around the area has thronged the broad pavement outside this ever-popular Victorian alehouse, & its elaborate frontage is worth contemplating: gilded columns, triple arches, shrubs & cherubs holding St Peter’s keys to the pearly gates are among the features that won it listed status. Dip into an inventory of beers that includes a handful of draught ales from Brodie’s brewery in the outer reaches of Leytonstone (Amarilla, Citra or Cloudy Green Bullet, perhaps), & soak up the booze with homemade pies & sarnies. Builders & bikers happily rub shoulders with suits & the occasional rock star here.