The Jerusalem Tavern, London
Posted on 01. May, 2010 by Robert Gale in Pubs
The Jerusalem Tavern is one of the most authentic-looking 18th-century taverns in London. With it’s 200-year-old bowed windows, bare boards, open fire and high backed settles, when you enter the Jerusalem it’s like enter a building Samuel Johnson would have felt at home in.
However, the Jerusalem has only been a licensed premises since 1996 when St Peter’s Brewery purchased the building. The building dates back to 1720 and was originally built as a townhouse. Since then it has been a watchmakers, the headquarters of a book publishing company, an architects office and most recently before becoming a pub it was a coffee shop.
Rather than try and explain any more of the history of the premises, go and read this very detailed article by Martyn Cornell.
So, despite the pub not being nearly as old as one might think, the pub is extremely popular and is deemed a favourite of many, myself included. The beers are from St Peter’s and they serve pretty much their entire range either from casks or bottles. The cider is from Aspalls and there is Bitburger lager available. The prices are what you’d expect from a London pub with the bottles costing around £3.40 each and a half of mild was £1.50.
Food is available and includes snacks such as sandwiches made bread baked by nearby St John restaurant and whilst I was there they were selling handmade quail scotch eggs.
Seating is fairly limited inside and there are only two benches outside so the pub is standing room only around lunchtime and late afternoon/early evening. If you visit on a Monday at 11am (like I did), you pretty much have the entire pub to yourself. Unfortunately, the pub is only open Monday to Friday.
Venue Location
The Jerusalem Tavern
55 Britton Street
London
EC1M 5UQ
Tel: 020 7490 4281
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