A traditional but quirky pub that will appeal to cider drinkers.

The Venue
There’s a proliferation of Green Men around Central London, and no, this doesn’t mean that we have pint-sized visitors from outer space or that the Smurfs have been struck down by swine flu. It seems The Green Man is giving The White Horse a run for its money in the most popular pub name stakes.

Wonderfully relaxed, this corner of Riding House Street is a sun trap in the summer months. There are a couple of outside tables sheltered by a suitably green awning but the majority of punters prefer to edge out of the shade and into the road, although the proprietors make a concerted but frequently futile effort to herd them back onto the pavements in order to appease local residents. At busy times there is an upstairs room for people to spill into, with a jukebox and furniture designed for loafing. Across both floors, the stripped bare decor is vaguely reminiscent of student digs, although the clientele mainly comprises workers seeking refuge from the office.

The Atmosphere
On the brightest days you may be pushed to find half a dozen people actually inside the Green Man, which is a blessing if you’ve ever tried reaching the packed bar on a Friday night, when DJs play electronic and chill out tunes, replacing the pub’s usual selection of classic rock, pop and soul.

On the first Monday of every month, the upstairs room plays host to the intriguingly named Air Accordion Society - an evening of lo-fi comedy (entry £5). Come the weekend, bereft of the 9-5ers, this area of Noho becomes eerily deserted, but if you happen to be lucky enough to have the pub all to yourself then the cheerful bar staff are always good company.

The Food
The four page menu is very much British influenced, including solid favourites such as Cumberland sausage, warm goat’s cheese salad, and Scottish whole tail scampi. The West Country farmed Casterbridge beef burgers are a bit of a specialty, with a fat 10oz patty and generous toppings including Bloody Mary ketchup beginning from £7.50. On a Sunday, you can also get a traditional roast for £7.90, served from noon.

The Drink
Once part of the Sam Smiths chain, The Green Man rebranded itself back in early 2008 as a cider house. However, before accusing it of jumping on the Magners bandwagon, check out the blackboard proudly declaring what they have on tap. An impressive selection includes a variety of Westons, Addlestones Cloudy, the divine Aspalls and, to top it all off, the Green Man Special Cellar with a whopping strength of 7.3 per cent. Bottled ciders offer even more choice, including various pear and blush ciders, Brothers and Kopparberg fruit ciders, plus the usual suspects such as Magners, Bulmers and Gaymers.

The draught beers aren’t exactly run of the mill either. Where the draught ciders are all English, the beers include Munich’s Franziskaner lager and California’s Sierra Nevada pale ale. At £3.90 and £3.80 respectively, these are the most expensive pints available, which represents decent value for W1. If you still prefer fermented grapes to apples, then The Green Man hosts a Wednesday night wine club, with an array of world wines costing £10 a bottle. Perhaps the only slight letdown is the spirit selection, which could be described as standard at best.

The Last Word
Self-declared as ‘Fitzrovia’s best kept secret,’ the regulars would no doubt rather it stayed that way, but the cordial charm of The Green Man is likely to prove a winner with anyone who comes across it.

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