Steak for breakfast, anyone? The Hope and Sir Loin lives up to its name (Hope and Sirloin – get it?).

The Venue
The Hope and Sir Loin plays up to the quintessential Britishness that bathes the area in which it resides. On stumbling across the pub, the first thing you'll notice is the big hitting facade that juts out on the street with large panes of glass. The wooden boughs that separate the sheets of glass are weathered and unpainted and the flower boxes provide a sweet scent.

Once inside, it's clear that the shop front has left you expecting too much. The threadbare dark green carpet is tatty with age, the green velvet-clad booths are looking a little dusty and on the whole the space looks like it's beginning to reject the furnishings that were probably once luxurious.

The Atmosphere
The pub’s atmosphere and ambience follows the interior's trend by appealing to those who respect the historic idiosyncrasies of a pub. The clientele appreciate the carvery that's on offer and there's a sense of reminiscence about the place. Being in the heart of Farringdon, a short walk from the tube station, the Hope and Sir Loin attracts passers by who add liveliness to the older regulars that tend to inhabit it.

The Food
There's a clue in the title and unless you enjoy your meat, there'll be nothing at the Hope and Sir Loin to tempt you. As well as a carvery that serves a choice of beef, pork or lamb with seasonal vegetables and potatoes, there are a number of steak-based dishes. At 6.30am, when the pub opens, you can begin your day with a full English breakfast that includes the usual egg, sausage and bacon along with liver, kidney and sirloin steak. Main meals in the upstairs restaurant include sirloin, rib eye or fillet steak served with mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and chips (£14.95).

The Drink
There is a short and simple selection of wine to accompany the steak. The basics are also on offer from the bottles behind the bar, where the usual spirits suffice. Fosters, Stella, Kronenbourg and Castlemaine are all available on draught.

The Last Word
The Hope and Sir Loin would make for an interesting steak breakfast, but as a regular place to visit it isn't up to much.

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