Ye Olde Mitre, Holborn

You'll need to actually hunt for this one—it's wedged down Ely Court, a narrow passageway that feels like you've stumbled through a portal. The wooden beams creak with age, the bar stools are worn exactly where they should be, and there's a fireplace that's been warming locals since 1546. You're drinking where people have been drinking for nearly 500 years, which sounds cheesy until you're actually standing there with a proper pint. The beer selection is proper serious (they take their ales as seriously as any craft spot in Shoreditch), and the food is straightforward pub fare—nothing Instagram-baiting, just stuff that works.