Elegant woods, rows of beautiful leather armchairs, sawdust scattered across the floor and not a beer pump in sight. Is this a one of a kind?

The Venue
Situated in a small alley beyond a railway arch in Borough, the Boot and Flogger makes unassuming attractiveness its thing. Through a hidden doorway and up a short flight of steps, the pub hits you with its darkness right away. Immediately, it's evident this isn't your normal pub. The bar is piled with brass pots and pans and vintage port and sherry bottles, which have amassed heavy dust coatings. Seating is presented most lavishly with dining tables delicately scattered around, and high leather armchairs each with its own table. This quirky look is topped off by sprinkles of sawdust that litter the floor by the bar.

The Atmosphere
With no beers and ales on draught, the Boot and Flogger is not for everyone. However, it is popular and there’s a rich atmosphere befitting the special surroundings. This could well be the scene of a movie about dandy Englishmen, presented by improbable Hollywood romantics, featuring a cast with rosy cheeks and stiff upper lips.

To say it attracts an upmarket clientele is an understatement, and with no music to be heard, you'll instead be left with chit-chat of upper class accents, which will either endear you to the pub or cause you to squirm a little.

The Food
The food is high-quality British fare. Cold cuts of ox tongue look particularly pleasing, as does the main of grilled scallops with bacon (£11.50). You can also find old school dishes like the gammon, egg, chips and black pudding (£8.50).

The Drink
There are no draught beers and just Becks and London Pride among the tiny range by the bottle. Wine, port, sherry and all things fortified are the real crowd-pleasers here. A glass of house red sets you back £4 but the range may well mesmerise you, as there are half bottles for £32.50 – a price you're unlikely to pay in a pub. For the enthusiast, who this is clearly aimed at, the menu is a joy to look at.

The Last Word
The Boot and Flogger is perhaps somewhere to experience rather than regularly enjoy, but for an arresting feeling of being somewhere very different to the norm, it gets you every time.

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