Part of our Best Pubs in London microsite. Is your local listed?
The old drovers' road through Hackney, London Fields and Columbia Road is a very fruitful place to string a pub crawl together. The great pubs just keep on coming.
The Cat & Mutton is arguably the trendiest of the lot. It also has history, dating back to 1729, when the sheep herders were still passing the door on their way to Smithfield. Oddly, they don't have lamb (or mutton) on the menu. And definitely not cat. That would be awful.
The prime location, on the nexus between London Fields and Broadway Market, means this pub can get very busy at peak times (sunny, summer Saturdays, for example). This explains why the ground floor is largely open-plan, with only a handful of tables occupying the central space. Up the spiral stairs, the so-called House of Revelry has its own bar and is available for hire.
This is a Young's pub, which means the usual beers, but it doesn't look like a Young's, with the rampant taxidermy and slightly distressed wall coverings all appealing to a younger crowd. Live events aplenty (including naked-neon life drawing!) ensure that the Cat and Mutton is always purring.
