Jamaica Wine House
About
Tucked away in St Michael's Alley, part of a labyrinth of charming medieval courts and alleys off Cornhill and Lombard Street in the City, the Jamaica Wine House was originally London's first coffee house which opened in 1652 and was visited by Samuel Pepys.
Known affectionately as "the Jampot", the pub is open from Monday to Friday and is the perfect spot to soak up the atmosphere and history of the Square Mile.
As well as City workers and tourists, who love to gather in the alley outside on warm evenings after work, the pub is also a haunt of bell-ringers and walking tours.
The Jamaica Wine House serves a wide selection of traditional Kentish cask ales, as well as international lagers and a good choice of wines.
In the basement, you'll find Todd's Wine Bar, which dates back to 1869 and retains its Victorian character with its wood-pannelled bar and high ceilings. The pub even has the original 19th century cooker used to roast coffee beans.
The venue is one of many historical pubs in the City.
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Venue Details & Map
Jamaica Wine House
- Address
-
St Michaels Alley,Cornhill,The City,London EC3V 9DS,UKEC3V 9DS
- Telephone:
- +44 (0)20 7929 6972
- Public transport:
- Bank, Underground
Yelp Reviews
7.00 out of 5
based on 13 reviews
Top 5 reviews of Jamaica Wine House
Not as bursting at the seams as many City pubs, this place is tucked back down an alley behind a church. While the inside space is quite tight, with little seating available, there is much space outdoors for standing with your drink on a nice day. Having been here for a few centuries, the worn down front step is a really cool period feature. The downstairs level is called Todd's Wine Bar,... more
Hard to find, this little treasure of a pub is one you don't want to leave once you're there !
We stayed in the lower floor, which had a nice bar, well attended by the friendly staff.
The not-so-friendly prices of the wines were compensated by the fact that they were quite good. Although one of my colleagues got served bad red wine... No ill intention there, I'm sure ;)
Down side: the... more
May be my new favourite lunch spot in the city. The basement bar has a lovely selection of wines and food. Get the cauliflower sausages with lentils-- you will not be disappointed :D more
I really like this place; probably my favourite after-work haunt for our Tower-42 crowd. Inside can be a bit cramped owing to the layout; which involves a long bar cut into smaller sectioned rooms. However there is plenty outside drinking room; business types and friends tend to stand with their pints and send someone inside for a round. It does tend to be a little less busy than some of it's... more
Busy pub squirreled down a Square Mile alley way. Turn right at the church, walk down the darkened lane and then you'll hear the shrieks. No, not the shrieks of Jack the Ripper claiming another victim, but of the City masses braying at each other in only the way City workers can.
Very old school, wooden and traditional feel to this place. It's the sort of place that you'd take an out of town... more