The Viaduct Tavern, EC1 — Restaurant in London

A day's sightseeing around St Paul's Cathedral on a very warm summer afternoon & desperately in need of some refreshment I spotted this charming traditional English pub. Strangely for some reason there was security at the entrance preventing people from going in. I was refused entry at first, the reason given, I did not work locally. But after assuring them I was alone & all I was wanting was a quiet sit down with a soft drink they allowed me in. Wow, such a delightful exquisitely tasty interior, just like all pubs should be but very few are these days. Ordered a Pepsi & toasty at the bar then promptly sat down to relax with my drink. In no time e at all I was served with my food, the most perfect & tasty toasty I've ever had, top quality bread filled with premium ham, cheese & whole grain mustard, toasted to perfection,yummy! Needless to say I'll be calling in again next time I'm down in the West End to enjoy another one of my favourite toasties. All the staff I met were so delightful & helpful, they clearly loved their work. Hopefully this old lady will be allowed in with less trouble...

An architecturally decorative diamond 💎 of pub beauty glorification. A corner pub with three double door entrances into a semi circular hall of homage to decorative heritage public beauty. A highly decorated, panelled ceiling sits on figureheaded decorative pillars & a gloriously detailed architrave above large windows. One wall is covered in romanesque painted glass set between bevelled mirrors & marble over a highly decorative base. Tall tables & chairs cross an aged wood floor below antique cut glass inverted droplet chandeliers, beside a large central bar. The back bar is a work of art in cut & patterned mirror set in decoratively carved heritage wood. There's a glorious victorian heritage phone booth in beautiful carved wood & cut glass topped with a vintage clock. The corner underside of a staircase is a masterpiece of decoratively cut mirrors & panelling. There's a buzz of local working crowd but the beauty of the place surpasses this & the chaotic, disconnected service. This pub is stunning, a treasure of decoration that represents the meaning of heritage ...

A pub search of the new neighborhood led to a visit - terrific Victorian cut glass; pre-Raphaelite style paintings; stories of an American & a firearm (go figure) during WW1 victory celebrations resulting in holes in said pre-Raphaelite style paintings - that exceeded expectations. It got better.

Saffron assured us the gin tastings were an experience; Fuller's ales the preferred drink, we decided we couldn't go wrong and made a booking for the following weekend.

She and Liam made a very nice end-of-week pub trip outstanding. The gin tasting was worth the visit alone - diverse, interesting and exotic flavors and combinations we never would have considered - and a wander through the cellar for stories of Newgate prison cells provided a unique finish.

A quintessential gin palace with warm, welcoming staff, excellent booze, Fuller's ales and pre-Raphaelite details - this place is great. (Hopefully the Doughboys...