If you can live with The Cock Tavern's interior, and the large TV's dotted around, you'll find a proper breakfast of the old-school variety (no cholesterol free sausages or bacon-lite here). As meat deliveries and trading operate all night in Smithfield Market, the Cock Tavern opens at 6am and used to begin serving alcohol at 6.30, but the fun-police recently put a stop to that licensing loophole. Nonetheless, a good place to set yourself up for the day – or perhaps round off the previous one.

The Cock Tavern doesn't have a traditional pub frontage, more of a doorway into a wall. So mind you don't walk past it. There's a wide road running through the centre of Smithfield market and the pub is halfway down, so venture into the midday murk of Smithfield's interior.

If you're a literary-type, it's also a good place to flesh out characters for your great unfinished novel. You'll find all-sorts in here. It used to be in the corner of the poultry market, which was huge, but destroyed by fire in the 1950s. There's a nearby noticeboard with B/W photos from postwar Britain showing millions of trussed turkeys, or slaughtered lambs from New Zealand. These days Smithfield is a much more modest operation.

Aside from breakfast The Cock Tavern also serves lunch and dinner, with a heavy emphasis on enormous steaks (be prepared for significant 'meat sweats'). Service can be patchy, as can the wine  and drinking underground, well... it's not for everyone.

The Cock Tavern, London Central Markets, London EC1A 9LH

Farringdon Tube

Call:      020 7236 4923 

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