Why Ye Olde Mitre Is Worth Seeking Out in Holborn
You may have come looking for Ye Olde Mitre because you’ve spotted it on a list of London’s best hidden pubs, or perhaps you’re exploring Holborn and wondering whether this tiny historic tavern is worth tracking down.
Tucked down a narrow passage off Hatton Garden, the pub opens into a small courtyard and a wonderfully old-fashioned, two-room tavern that feels surprisingly removed from the busy streets outside.
Know Before You Go
Crowd Expectations — Ye Olde Mitre draws a lively mix of sightseers and after-work regulars. The small rooms get crowded in the early evening, and drinkers often spill into the courtyard. Weekday mid-afternoons are generally quieter if you want to find a seat.
Food & Dining — Ye Olde Mitre serves a limited selection of simple bar snacks rather than a full traditional pub menu. The main bar rooms operate on a walk-in basis, with no table service or reservations.
Opening Days — Ye Olde Mitre is closed on Sundays. On Saturdays, the kitchen closes earlier than the bar, so check the current food-service hours if you’re planning to eat.
Visiting with Children — Ye Olde Mitre has historically operated an over-18s policy in its main bar rooms. If you’re visiting with children, check directly with the pub about current age restrictions before including it in your itinerary.
Accessibility — Ye Olde Mitre is reached through a narrow passageway and has a small step at the entrance. Its compact historic rooms may be difficult to navigate for visitors with limited mobility.
How Do You Find the Hidden Entrance?
I start on Hatton Garden and look between the jewelry shops numbered 8 and 9 until I spot the entrance to Ely Court. The entrance looks more like a doorway between the buildings than a street — the photo below is exactly what you’re looking for.
From there, follow the narrow passageway until it opens into the little courtyard, with Ye Olde Mitre tucked away at the end.
What to Expect When You Step Inside
Don’t expect a sprawling historic pub with hidden rooms and winding staircases. The ground floor has two small, wood-paneled drinking rooms arranged around the bar. Head straight to the bar to order and pay, then find an open corner in the small historic rooms or take your pint outside into Ely Court.
If you’re looking for food, Ye Olde Mitre keeps things simple with cheese toasties and bar snacks. And no, you can’t get chips. It’s one of the pub’s more endearing declarations of independence.
What’s the Pint Pick?
Order a beer from the wood if it’s available. Ye Olde Mitre occasionally serves cask ale directly from a wooden barrel, a traditional method that’s increasingly unusual in London pubs.
Otherwise, look for London Pride, Fuller’s classic English bitter and a good introduction to traditional cask ale.
Order your pint or half-pint at the bar and pay when you order. If the card machine prompts you for a tip, you can press skip. Digital prompts are increasingly common these days, but tipping is still not customary when buying drinks at a London pub bar counter.
What’s the History Behind Ye Olde Mitre?
The bishop’s hat — a mitre — on the pub sign is your first clue to the history of this hidden corner of London. A tavern has stood here since 1546, when the land belonged to the Bishops of Ely.
Even the surrounding street names have a story. Hatton Garden takes its name from Sir Christopher Hatton, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I who leased neighboring land.
The pub you’re standing in isn’t the original 1546 tavern. That earlier tavern was established here for the Bishop of Ely’s servants; the little pub you see today was rebuilt in the late 1700s.
Where Is Queen Elizabeth’s Cherry Tree?
Don’t expect to see an actual tree. When you enter, peek around the corner to your right and look for the glassed-in section built into the pub, where a weathered piece of wood is preserved as the remains of the legendary cherry tree.
According to long-standing local lore, Queen Elizabeth I once danced around the original tree with Sir Christopher Hatton, her famously charming “Dancing Chancellor.”
Address: 1 Ely Court, Ely Place, London EC1N 6SJ
Nearest Station: Chancery Lane or Farringdon
Website: Ye Olde Mitre
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