The best of London 9 - eating, drinking & pubs

Shuffle off Fleet Street down a bleak back alley and you might fear being mugged. Find a great wooden door and heave it open and those worries will disappear as you are embraced by the scenty glow of a hot coal fire.

Welcome to the hidden gem that is one of my favourite pubs in London, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

I say 'hidden' because although it features heavily on the internet and in guidebooks, it is hard to find and doesn't have an impressive street frontage, which means it attracts only the most tenacious tourists.

As you'd imagine for a place built in 1667, the history is legendary and the barmaids are happy to tell some tales or hand you a brochure about the place. For instance, this is the pub whose parrot (Polly, of course) was honoured with an obituary in The Times.

They serve the full range of one of Yorkshire's finest breweries, Samuel Smiths. Their Nut Brown Ale, Porter and organic ale in particular are terrific.

There are several floors and you'll probably explore each one on your search for a seat. Not all rooms are kept open and some are reserved for diners, but the basement bar is large if characterless with hard benches and plenty of room if you're happy standing.

Be careful to not bump your head on the stairs when going down to the tiny loo. I imagine several people have died on these steps when inebriated, but it all adds to the history of the place.

Being in the heart of the City means the pub is taken over by a contingent of gents over the long liquid lunch hour, but we've never felt out of place despite the white tablecloths in their upstairs dining room.

In the dining room you'll sit amid dark high-panelled snugs warmed by a coal fire as sunlight filters through bottle-glass windows. This same room is where the likes of Samuel Johnson and Charles Dickens ate, drank and caroused (Dr Johnson's house is right around the corner).

The time we dined there the main courses each cost about £10. The focus is on traditional British fare like steak & kidney pie, pork loin, etc. The portions were generous and the beers cold and delicious. You might want to call in a day early to book ahead, though.

And when paying the tab pay be sure to pay tribute to Polly, who has been stuffed and sits by the till. 'Bill, please!'

INFO Coming out of Blackfriars tube (District & Circle line), head north (away from the Thames) and along busy New Bridge Street for about 200 metres to Fleet Street. Turn left here (heading west and away from St Paul’s Cathedral) and look for the sign on the north side of Fleet Street another 200 metres along.