The Old Red Cow (ex-Long Lane), Barbican  

We're really pleased to see the Old Red Cow return after it closed after a somewhat disastrous sojourn as the Long Lane. Ye Olde Red Cow (as it once was) has stood here for many years and was a favourite of the late, great Sir Peter Ustinov when he was in town and it was one of ours too. It's a pleasant old pub - it claims to be the oldest pub in Smithfield - on a busy thoroughfare in a bustling part of the City. The upstairs room has to be one of our favourite pub rooms in the City. The Old Red Cow offers excellent beer, with Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Deuchars on the hand pumps last time we were in and there's a reasonable wine list, too. The food is also good here, freshly prepared, you'll have to wait a little while, but it's worth it and it's good value - we'll be coming back soon to try the Sunday roasts. It's also offers Wi-Fi and a free jukebox with a good mix of contemporary music and classics to suit just about any mood. The locals and office types who work around are still finding out about the new Old Red Cow (huh?), so it's often a little quiet, but from what we've experienced, it deserves to be a great success.