Aldgate Pub Lunch Options 4 – Hoop and Grapes

Published: Sep 11th, 2009 | Author: The Beeralist

I’ve been coming to the Hoop & Grapes on and off for nearly 20 years. It’s situated on Aldgate Hight Street, just east of and opposite Aldgate tube station.

Hoop & Grapes, Aldgate

The Hoop & Grapes is a Nicholson’s pub so to a certain extent you know what you’re going to get. But I think that Nicholson’s is one of the better pub chains – compared to the All Bar One, Pitcher & Piano indentikit establishments. The interior is old and woody, mainly dark but with pools of light beneath the ceiling windows half way up and at the back. You’ll be amazed how big the pub is inside given the small frontage on Aldgate High St.

I always make sure to get there as early as possible to get a table when eating lunch as it can get quite busy – especially towards the end of the week.

Tasty gammon at the Hoop and Grapes, Aldgate

The food menu contains few surprises but the prices are pretty reasonable and lunchtime deals are available on some dishes. My enormous gammon steak with two eggs and chips was £5. The food always tastes good.

Beer-wise, the Hoop & Grapes usually carries four real ales. London Pride, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, and Sharp’s Doom Bar seem pretty constant and there is one guest. Usually the beers taste well kept but some colleagues have remarked on the odd dodgy pint.

The pub’s good in the evening too – once again getting busy quickly after work. Food is not available in the evenings though. They do ale tastings every Thursday nights.

Previous posts in this series

1. Pride of Spitalfields
2. The Dispensary
3. The Peacock

Filed in: London, Pubs | Tags: Aldgate, Food, Nicholson's | 1 Comment