Old Bank of England

You're walking past the Old Bailey on one of London's most storied streets when you spot the ornate Victorian frontage of what was genuinely a bank. Step inside and you're met with soaring ceilings, original wood panelling, and enough character to make you forget you're in the heart of legal London. It's the kind of place where barristers in wigs sit next to tourists, where the ale is cold and the pies are warm, and where nobody's trying too hard. The food is proper gastropub fare—think posh fish and chips, decent steaks, Sunday roasts that won't disappoint. It gets properly rammed at lunch and after work, but that's half the appeal.