Great selection of drinks(beer my goodness, the beer!) and great food. No really, great food. Like the red wine reduction is tasting the way it should at a 35 – 40 pound platter somewhere else but you’re only paying 1⁄3 of it because it is dressing up some very well executed chicken thigh in a PUB. I am so coming back for Ye Old Fountain!
Margaret S.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Clarence, NY
Truly a gem ! Friendly people, good service, excellent selection of beers, and extremely good pub food. Had a cheese plate that was awesome! Burgers and fries were excellent as well. Even the salad was very good. I ate here 3 times during a 2 week stay — I highly recommend it.
Bethany W.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
What a hidden little gem this is. In the heart of bustling old street, you genuinely would walk by thinking this place was closed on a quiet evening but if you head inside you’re greeted with a truly British local experience. For me, this pub epitomises everything that a pub should be: friendly locals, British beers on tap and a laid back and relaxing atmosphere where you truly feel at home. Perfect for an afternoon or evening beverage. I opted for the house rose and it was delicious — not too dry and not too sweet. Sadly I didn’t give the food a try but it looked delicious and smelt even better. I’ll definitely be back to give those chunky chips a try that’s for sure!
Liane T.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
The Old Fountain is a lovely, slightly hidden away pub. There is a good selection of drinks, from beers to wines and cocktails, as well as lovely pub grub. It has a fun and lively atmosphere so not the place to go on an intimate date, but definitely a good place to meet up with friends for a boozy night out. So happy that I’ve discovered it and will definitely be back!
Krista N.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
I really love this place, especially their rooftop, which is small but does the trick. An oasis by the nightmare that can be the Old Street Roundabout.
K C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
Loved this place. Has a cozy local feel with great food, very nice ciders, and a beautiful rooftop! I went months ago and am planning a return to London and had to research to recall where I went so that I could go back. I know where I’ll be in a few week’s time!
Kate F.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
We have been to the old fountain a few times with friends, family and co workers alike. It’s a great place to socialise, grab a nice cider or ale(great selection) and a bite to eat. Nice roof terrace — great for a lunch time catch up during the week and buzzing on a Friday evening. I would recommend their beetroot and goats cheese salad for a satisfying light bite but their burgers are pretty tasty if your after something more filling. My friend is also very fond of their cheesy chips. We will and have returned. It’s perfect for de-stressing after a long days work.
Jill S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
If you can get a seat on the rooftop I imagine it would be a really great place to hang out. If you can’t get a seat, the bar is perfectly fine and comfortable. I’m a big fan of this place — good wine and friendly bartenders.
Lizzie P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
I love this place, especially for a quick and boozy afternoon lunch with work colleagues! Hidden away just off city road this pub is everything you need from a London boozer. Good selection of drinks, classic and well presented pub food(chicken burger was excellent) and your obligatory roof terrace(well we are quite near hipsterville) for those few and far between days of sunshine. The pub itself is fairly dark and most people head to the terrace during the summer months but I can see this being an equally great place for those long winter evenings when all you want is a pint and a burger to warm you up! Staff were friendly, food was served fairly quickly(even during a busy lunch hour on a Friday) and the standards were good. Nothing wrong here!
Xander T.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Ghent, Belgium
So, 1.6 years after my first visit I had a second visit(funnily enough, once again as pre-Nighjar dinner). I was really happy to see the quality has remained the same(which is to say, excellent). This time, I ordered the Fountain burger, which was excellent, but the patty was just slightly too dry which was a shame, but otherwise it was very good. I was also very happy that the the chips are still as good as I remember them(stil the best ones I’ve had outside of Belgium. Since I’m now in London more frequently for work, I’ll definitely be coming here more often.
Nick H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
Been here twice and always really enjoyed it — a great roof terrace, good drinks selection which is reasonably priced, and a good atmosphere. Food looked great but never actually eaten here…
Julia D.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
I think I’ll do this review in list form. Best things: Chunky chips with cheese Great cider selection Good chicken sandwich Really helpful servers Good location Less fun things: Super loud Never any space on roof deck Sort of dark inside The chunky chips with cheese are my new addiction. I think I’ve found love.
Colleen C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
A gleefully hidden roof terrace steps from busy City Road? Count me in! After work weekdays likely gets quite insane with the City and Tech crowds nearby, but our Saturday pre-dinner appointment with aforementioned roof terrace was bliss. I’ve walked past this pub no fewer than 500x since I moved to a flat nearby, but just never remembered to stop in. From the outside it is fairly unremarkable(though well kept, of course) — but inside there is plenty of room, and of course the gem of a roof which manages to be secluded and lush with greenery, ample seating and sunshine when Mother Nature stops along to play nice. And, the food prancing about looked very promising. I’ll remember that for next time. Real cask ales, some newer craft beers on offer, very passable wines, nice service and a pub menu a notch above the norm? Why aren’t you here yet guys?! Pro-tip: reserve the large rooftop tables for a group if you’ve got your plans together to avoid disappointment.
Dale J.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
A tremendous find, right next to my hotel in Shoreditch. While I didn’t try the food, I really enjoyed the wide selection of beers available here. There is a chalkboard with the list, including the abv, brewery, location, as well as the price. It’s also a pleasure just to walk the length of the bar and look at the pull handles. For the less adventurous, there are plenty of lagers, ciders and the usual selection of spirits. The wifi is free and there’s a code posted above the bar in the second room. Pricing is reasonable by London standards.
Peter P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
Omg this place is great. Stumbled on it by accident and ended up eating and drinking here two nights in a row. Best cooked burger(med rare) I have had in a very long time and a fantastic craft beer list. Some of the friendliest bar staff I have ever experienced in London(and I lived here 5 years). Just do it.
Andy G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
I’ve been here quite a few times now and I just love the ever renewing selection of craft ales and kegs. The food is fantastic pub grub. There is also a roof terrace, probably the best part of the pub, apart from the bar of course. There are 2, step split, areas, each with a bar so plenty of space to get a drink and a few award certificates on show behind the bar, not surprisingly! The staff are always pleasant and friendly, albeit busy.
Neli D.
Rating des Ortes: 3 London, United Kingdom
We went out for some Halloween drinks and bites after work but it was so full — all tables inside and outside were taken and there was no place in the garden upstairs. We ended up drinking standing on the street after it took us 20 minutes to order drinks as there were so many people. The weather was nice and there were also many people drinking outside and there was some kind of party atmosphere but we drank on empty stomachs as it was impossible to order any food. We left tipsy and in high spirits but hungry. I am left with mixed feelings for this place as it looks nice and it serves nice drinks and cocktails but they should find a way to deal with high demand on some occassions.
Caroline H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Waterloo, London, United Kingdom
A pub that not a huge number of people seem to know about, right around the corner from Old Street tube station. With nice beers. And a lovely roof terrace. It seems like a myth, but it’s not — this pub is excellent, but please, don’t tell anyone.
Manav M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
Right by old street, Old Fountain has a pretty standard pub feel. Nothing particularly distinctive about the place but it’s warm and inviting. Perhaps unsurprisingly it was fairly packed on a Friday evening but we were able to get a seat eventually. The beer selection is what makes it stand out though! 13ish craft beers on tap, a great selection of bottles, and friendly and knowledgeable bartenders. Kitchen is being re-done at the moment but it somehow feels like the sort of place that would have good food.
Amy B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Boston, MA
Out of all the pubs we visited on our trip to London, Old Fountain had the best beer list. By that I mean the list had the biggest variety of beers with the most appealing options. In addition to the beers on the list in my photo, Old Fountain also had several taps that I believe are their«standard,» non-rotating beers. Old Fountain also had a tv where our friends could watch the Wimbledon semi-finals. The only really sketchy thing about Old Fountain was how many people were drinking outside, not just directly outside the pub as is typical, but also across the street in this abandoned lot. It was very odd to behold.