Dispensary

I look opposite and spot Leman Street. This is a busy road so I wait for the "green man" to tell me to cross and I walk down Leman Street for a hundred metres finding the Dispensary on the left.

The Dispensary is the first pub I find on my journey that has a range of beers from microbreweries. My choice is the Pale Ale from Redemption Brewery in Tottenham, a 3.8% session bitter with a dryness that begs another sip followed by another pint. Redemption Brewery was founded by ex-City bond dealer, Andy Moffatt who started brewing in early 2010. His beers have quickly become some of London's favourite and most eagerly sought after brews. Hopefully I will find more on my travels and will also take a visit to the brewery at some point. Stay tuned.

The Dispensary is a grade two listed building and was built in 1858 from public subscription to house the Eastern Dispensary. This had been started by a group of doctors in 1782 and was one of the first attempts to provide free medical treatment to the poor of the area. The hospital was closed in 1940 and was refurbished as a pub in 1998 retaining much of its historic character.

It is now, in my humble opinion, the best pub in the area offering a range of beer and cider from five handpumps together with a good and varied food menu and a wine list that would satisfy all but the most sophisticated of oenophiles. It tries to be all things to all people and I think it is bang-on target. A recent winner of CAMRA's East London and City pub of the year. If the E1 area is up and coming and gentrified I want more of this please.

Their range of ales does rotate so I cannot promise Redemption every visit but they are loyal customers of London's new breweries so there will always be something interesting on the bar. If not, you'll have to put up with something from Dark Star Brewery - their other excellent regular pump. Hophead anyone ?

I leave by the main entrance and spot another pub on the opposite corner of Alie Street.