‘Gastropubs’. It’s not a term we’re particularly fond of deploying, so overused now that your local Spoons could quite rightly be referred to as one. But ‘pubs with food’ sounds weird too, so we’re sticking with it.
The term is useful, certainly, for calling to mind a certain type of place, one which serves great, protein-led food. It doesn’t lean too heavily on ‘small plates’, and is a place you’d feel as comfortable dropping in for a pint as you would a full blown meal. The ubiquity of gochujang and nahm jim for no discernible reason hopefully doesn’t trouble the menus at these places, either…
With that definition dispensed with and the pedants subdued, at least for now, let’s get into it. We’re hungry, thirsty and in need of refreshment in the capital city, and only the frothiest flagons and most precise cuisson will do. With that in mind, here are 9 of London’s very best gastropubs.
The Parakeet, Kentish Town
Ideal for superb fish dishes cooked over live fire…
Kentish Town finally has something approaching a destination restaurant, in the eyes of London’s hype machine, at least. Sure, that restaurant may be in the back of a pub, but that’s exactly why you’re here, right?
Just a second’s stroll from the overground station, you could wander in off Kentish Town road and be wowed by the mahogany panelling and gently glowing stained glass windows behind the bar while you wait for your pint to be poured, all without knowing about the heaving, kinetic dining room out back. Except, that is, for the unmistakable smell of smoke and fat that’s wafting over the pub.
Follow your nose and head inwards, into a tightly knit dining room that’s always rammed. The semi-open kitchen, dominated by its live-fire grill, remains the focal point of the room. And the menu, as it turns out.
It shouldn’t be a surprise the cooking is so elemental here; the kitchen is headed up by two chefs previously of Brat; head chef Ben Allen and sous Ed Jennings. Owing to that Brat connection, a whole fish is pretty much obligatory here, and the sea bream (£58 for two, to share), blistered and burnished from the grill and served head, fins and all, is the absolute highlight from a menu that reads as well as it eats.
Just as it is at Brat, Elkano et al, a dexterous waiter (here, the immitable, number one asset Federico) is on hand to dissect the bream with a spoon and sense of theatre and flourish, instructing us on which cuts should be especially savoured and in what order. Top tip; the skirts have that gorgeous gelatinous quality of a chicken wing and its cartilage. It’s served with a piperade of finely sliced red peppers. Viscous and sweet, it’s the ideal foil for the charred edges of that bream. It’s magic.
There’s also a stuffed whole poussin. Under flickering candlelight, it comes out looking almost as psychedelic as the restaurant’s artwork, the work of the talented Theophilus Tetteh (the art, not the poussin). Jimi Hendrix – with parakeet perched on shoulder – looked down with an expression approaching envy as we tore at the bird (the poussin, not the parakeet), its intoxicating stuffing of rice, ginger, confit garlic and all those intermingling meat juices somehow even better than the caramelised skin and tender flesh. It’s dotted with more confit garlic – take the back of your fork and squish it into the sauce, of course. Another winner of a dish, and suspicion grows that these guys know exactly what they’re doing.
There’s also a Sunday lunch menu featuring big hunks of premium meat cooked over fire, too, though the Parakeet does certainly feel like an evening kind of place. The intimacy of the dining room when the sun’s gone down, with the wood fire oven flickering like a nostalgic pub fireplace, is one of its big draws. Running from midday to 7pm, this one sounds so appealing in the late afternoon, in the depths of winter.
Regardless, pair it all with a pint or two of Hammerton N7, a perky IPA which is brewed just a mile down the road, and luxuriate in one of London’s finest gastropub experiences. Sure, you’ll leave thoroughly seasoned by smoke inside and out, that’s what you signed up for.
Website: theparakeetpub.com
Address: 256 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2AA
The Harwood Arms, Fulham
Ideal for London’s best game cookery…
Here’s something both surprising and not in the least bit; London’s most decorated gastropub isn’t found in the heart of Westminster or on the peripheries Borough Market, but rather, in the back streets of Fulham.
Indeed, the Harwood Arms, the only Michelin-starred pub in London, has been doing its own thing in this sleepy West London residential area since 2008 (receiving its star a year later), its proud focus on animal husbandry, game cookery and insanely good scotch eggs drawing in the punters even if the journey goes over the acceptable hour mark on the ol’ CityMapper.
The culinary leadership at The Harwood Arms has seen some notable figures over its illustrious history, such as former head chef Sally Abé and, of course, Brett Graham, the Australian chef-owner of the three-Michelin-starred The Ledbury, who has been a director since the pub’s inception, his unique, instantly recognisable aesthetic all present and correct here, from the deer heads on the walls and the coat of arms on the menu, all the way to the weighty serrated knives delicately laid on the recently sanded blonde wood dining tables.
The current head chef is Josh Cutress, who has previously worked in top, top London restaurants The Square (now sadly closed) and the aforementioned Ledbury. He’s carrying the baton with the proper technique and precise touch that’s required here, and there’s no greater compliment than that.
The pub’s dedication to provenance is what truly sets the place apart, ensuring a consistently sky high quality, with much of the meat supplied by Graham himself. The rooftop garden provides fresh, home-grown produce like heritage tomatoes, radishes, and strawberries during the summer months, underscoring the pub’s commitment to sourcing and a sustainability that, for once in this damn city, isn’t just performative.
Unsurprisingly, at the height of game season the Harwood Arms becomes a tour de force of wild meat cookery. Recently, Graham has been raising his own British Iberian pigs, and a recent starter of Iberian pork pâté en croûte, studded with just in-season apricots and hazelnuts, was an absolute tour-de-force of classical technique and premium sourcing.
It’s a descriptor that could also be applied to a main of – you guessed it – Graham’s own fallow deer, here paired with a pale ale cream and grilled hen of the woods mushrooms, again just entering their prime. There’s a precise simplicity to the cooking in both dishes that allows these ingredients to sing, and it’s all just so satisfying. The weight of these knives certainly doesn’t harm that perception.
A short rib of red ruby beef with spinach and bone marrow is less successful, the meat not quite giving enough and, whilst not a burden to eat, certainly sidelined in the face of that deer dish.
Not to worry, you can end with the now-signature custard flan, which sat alongside a smooth, pleasingly bitter blood orange sorbet when we visited. Boasting the caramel notes of The Ledbury’s iconic brown sugar tart, it was a masterpiece, and reassuring that the pastry section here are as skilled as the sauciers.
If all of this sounds right up your residential street but you don’t fancy sitting down for a full three-courser, then simply drop in for a pint at the Harwood and order the famous venison scotch egg as a bar snack. You won’t regret it.
It should be said that the beer selection is a little uninspiring, after all that – just the usual Camden Hells and Beavertown in the lager department. The two cask ales are more interesting; the increasingly omnipresent but no less enjoyable Sandbrooks Wandle the pick of the two. There’s also a 15 page wine list with some serious bottles in its nether reaches. A handful of the more premium drops are also available by the half bottle, which is a nice touch, and there’s a page of wines by the glass with several under a tenner, meaning things needn’t get too expensive here.
Menus here are priced at £70 for a three-course meal and £55 for two courses, with a traditional roast available all day on Sundays.
Website: harwoodarms.com
Address: Walham Grove, London SW6 1QJ
Marksman, Hackney
Ideal for austere but delicious plates of British comfort food…
From west to east, we’re heading to Hackney next, and the borough’s most storied, hyped gastropub, The Marksman.
With a history dating back to the mid 19th century, it’s in 2015 that the Marksman entered its current phase of refinement, which introduced an upstairs dining room designed by the acclaimed London-based Italian designer Martino Gamper. Confit potatoes elbowed out the Walker’s, smoked Tamworth the scratchings, and here we are. Whether that’s a ominous sign of increasing gentrification or a welcome addition to the neighbourhood is up to you…
Still, The Marksman proudly identifies as a ‘proper London boozer’, offering a traditional pub experience with a hint (well, more than a hint actually) of refinement. The downstairs area remains a lively sanctuary for locals and stragglers from further afield, while the upstairs dining room offers a more subdued atmosphere where patrons can enjoy dishes that pay homage to London’s rich culinary history.
The quirky, brown-tiled façade of the pub stands out as a local landmark, still, and the wood-panelled bar retains the feel of a traditional venue, the local’s battered stools all lined up and ready to receive them. Green leather banquette seating and a rather higgedly-piggeldy selection of Bentwoods, as well as a smattering of lanterns emitting a comforting orange hue, make this a warming place to settle into.
The pub is now owned by chefs Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram, who previously honed their culinary skills at Fergus Henderson’s iconic London restaurant St. John, and those austere sensibilities are very much present and correct in the cooking here. Cruise in from midday at the weekend, and the gorgeous lunch dish (you can call it ‘brunch’ if you wish) of bacon chop, hash brown and fried egg is an absolute winner. Yours for £28, but you’d happily pay significantly more than that to dust off your Oslo-hangover, surely. A pint of Disco Pils (hmmm) from Dalston brewery 40FT will help with that.
The pies are, unsurprisingly, excellent too, with the chicken and girolle (£55 for a sharing size) a menu mainstay for good reason. On a recent(ish) visit their duck, bacon and prune pie was rich, deep and divine.
Even better, a pleasingly moody cottage pie, its edges caught just right and, beneath the bronze mash hood, a brooding, umami-rich braise of beef. This one was recently available as part of the pub’s Worker’s Lunch deal, which offers a main, like the aforementioned pie, and a pint (other drinks are available) for £15. Bargain.
On Sundays, those pies enter the mix alongside a selection of roasts, with two courses priced at £38 and 3 at £42. Whatever day of the week it is, end with the signature brown butter and honey tart, arguably The Marksman’s most well known dish, and a beautiful thing at that.
The Marksman was named Michelin Pub of the Year in 2017, a significant accolade as it marked the first time this award was given to a pub in the capital, where it’s praised for its simply cooked, seasonal British dishes that are well-balanced and flavourful. We couldn’t agree more, though Michelin might want to work on broadening their adjectives.
Last year, the team behind the Marksman opened Lasdun in the National Theatre, and it’s another knockout. We’ve featured the restaurant in our rundown of the best restaurants near London Waterloo. Do check it out sometime.
Website: marksmanpublichouse.com
Address: 254 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SB
Camberwell Arms, Camberwell
Ideal for sharing sausages and cocktails…
Heading south of the river next, and to a single drag that is arguably London’s most stacked in terms of food options; Camberwell Church Street.
Hear us out. It’s got Silk Road. It’s got Nandine. FM Mangal is here. Huong Vi Viet does its thing on this strip. There’s Theo’s Pizzeria. A new Forza Win has pitched up. And with all the thirsty chefs such a proliferation of great restaurants brings, so the street needs a boozer to serve them. The Camberwell Arms is that boozer and then some.
Originally a traditional public house situated around the corner on Kimpton Road with its roots traceable back to the early 20th century, the present-day Camberwell Arms has evolved somewhat, setting a benchmark in London’s gastropub scene. Always imitated, never bettered you could say…
Established in its current form in 2014, The Camberwell Arms has been helmed by a leadership trifecta of chef director Mike Davies, Frank Boxer, known in this neck of the woods for Frank’s Cafe in Peckham, and James Dye, who has most recently opened Bambi on the former Bright site in London Fields. That’s some serious hospitality pedigree, and as the Camberwell Arms enters its second decade, there’s a sense it’s never been stronger.
On the ground floor, guests are welcomed into an open-plan bar and dining room, with an aesthetic characterised by real wooden floorboards, deep Burgundy walls, and ornate gilded mirrors and chandeliers. The layout transitions smoothly from a traditional pub setting at the front – ideal for casual pints and light snacks – to a more formal (though thankfully not all that formal) dining area towards the back, adjacent to an open kitchen. Upstairs, an additional bar area deals with the inevitable overspill of such a perennially popular place. Enjoy a white tonic and port while you wait – the connoisseur’s choice for a summer aperitivo, surely?
Let’s sashay through the crowds and into the dining room, as we’ve got our eye on the sharing mangalitsa sausage, which is made inhouse and is something of a signature (yes, we’ve used that term several times, but it’s the best word for the job) here. Sure, the £36 billing for a sausage might at first have you baulking, but this is an obscenely sized piece of work, with just the right amount of bounce. When you slice through it with a serrated, it is the most satisfying texture, its high fat content glistening. Winking at you, even…
We’ve had it as a single plate, too, with comically large (a theme) butter beans and grape mustard, but right now the sharing size is on with aioli. Talk about a brat(wurst) summer.
Another carnivorous number, Farmer Tom’s grilled lamb with piattone beans, anchovy and crumbs is a knockout too, its meat juices rich and full of flavour.
The pub can do light, bright plates with just as much enthusiasm. A recent summertime zinger of raw bream, rosemary, chilli and lemon was a vital tasting thing, picking up the palate and dispensing with any brain fog before the sausage fest main event.
Though it’s a central(ish) London pub on a busy, choking thoroughfare, the Camberwell Arms have a wicked way with seafood, generally, it should be said. A recent hype dish of a buttered mussel and wild garlic crumpet was as good as it sounds.
That pleasing lightness of touch and careful seasonality is present in the simple but satisfying desserts. A lemon verbena panna cotta with marinated raspberries passed the old flick-it-to-check-the-wobble test, its grassy character a really interesting note to end a meal on, though not, perhaps, for everyone.
Speaking of interesting notes, the cocktails here are excellent, hardly a surprise when you consider the background of the owners. The New York sour, featuring bourbon, bitters, lemon and chilled red wine is particularly good. You know what? We might stick around for another…
Website: thecamberwellarms.co.uk
Address: 65 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8TR
The Plimsoll, Finsbury Park
Ideal for curated chaos and that burger…
…Phew, bit pissed and very full now, but we’re heading onwards to Finsbury Park, and into our fifth entry on our rundown of the very best gastropubs in London; The Plimsoll.
Built on the foundations of an older pub known as The Auld Triangle – a popular spot among locals and Arsenal fans, known for its quintessential Irish pub vibe and pints of Guinness poured under great scrutiny – the transformation into The Plimsoll began with a successful Kickstarter campaign led by chefs Jamie Allan and Ed McIlroy, who previously ran the beloved semi-permanent pop-up Four Legs at the Compton Arms a mile and a half down the road in Islington.
Back up here in Finsbury Park, and the duo are also heading up Tollington’s, their recently-opened Spanish-style fish bar in Finsbury Park that’s been so fawned over we never want to go there, the disappointment already tee’d up and ready to be delivered.
We’ll stay here instead, just around the corner in the curated chaos of The Plimsoll, enjoying a sometimes ragtag collection of dishes (both the food and the crockery) whose influence stretches far and wide. On your nan’s favourite willow patterned plate, a recent duo of grilled langoustines, splayed open and drenched in garlic butter, was just the ticket. On your favourite curry house’s gaudiest plate, the piri piri whole quail – again, splayed out – with rouille was even better.
Shout out, too, to the scallops with chilli butter and peas. There’s a tendency these days to value the ‘crust’ on a scallop above all else, with the pursuit for that golden layer sometimes taking precedence over actual flavour or a precise mi cuit. At The Plimsoll, the scallop is served so gently poached in its shell that it could pass for raw, its inherent sweetness coming to the fore, untroubled by the usual bruising, butter basted caramelisation. It’s such a good move, and indicative of a kitchen with a singular, idiosyncratic vision to do things their way.
Another visit saw comically large whelks with a pokey, dry chilli heavy dipping sauce. There are few more fun things than picking those whelks from their shells with a toothpick and dragging them through the sauce.
Pleasingly, ‘their way’ also translates to the dining room, or lack thereof. Unlike the other places on our list of the best gastropubs in London, there’s not a dedicated, more formal dining room as such here; more, a collection of circular tables with their orbiting stools, a couple of flickering candles and the clatter of the open kitchen bringing the ambience. And it’s Boddington’s and Estrella Galicia on the taps; perfect.
Anyway, onwards and into the main event. The Dexter Cheeseburger is everyone’s favourite dish here, kinda smashed, charred and gnarly, but also kinda rare and sloppy. It’s a burger that Evening Standard restaurant critic Jimi Fameawuara called one of the best he’d ever had when it was on at the Comptom Arms. It’s still as good here. Have it for dessert, like ordering a prego at the end of a Ramiro.
Instagram: @the.plimsoll
Address: 52 St Thomas’s Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 2QQ
The Devonshire, Soho
Ideal for grilled goodies and a damn fine Guinness…
If you’re looking for a gastropub in Soho, then The Devonshire is the place. Sure, you’ll need to have scored a reservation before you even know if you’ll be in the country for it (the pub opens booking slots every Thursday at 10:30am, three weeks in advance to deal with the substantial demand.) And yes, you’ll have to swerve braying toffs ‘splitting the G’ outside – the place sells around 15,000 pints of the stuff weekly. At £6.90, it’s not bad value, to be fair.
Anyway, this absurdly hyped pub is worth those considerable hurdles to your patronage, with a dream team of consummate host Oisin Rogers, Flat Iron founder Charlie Carroll and decorated chef Ashley Palmer Watts all bringing their unique expertise to this supremely confident place.
Once you’ve secured a table in the Grill Room section of the restaurant, you’ll want to order from the grill section of the menu, which makes up almost half of everything that leaves the kitchen here, sourced from a string of bespoke suppliers via the Devonshire’s dedicated butchery room, which boasts space for 4000 steaks. And sure, those steaks are as good as they should be, but even better is the beef cheek and Guinness suet pudding (£26) which is riotously delicious, eliciting a shudder of pleasure as you plunge that spoon in. Also from the grill, the now famous ‘pile of langoustines’ is gorgeous. Pair it with half a lobster for a myopic but elegant, casual meal.
Despite its seemingly unstoppable wave of popularity, things are kept humble with a reassuringly priced set menu that will set you back £29 for three generous courses. Right now, a prawn and langoustine cocktail, skirt steak, chips and Béarnaise, and an indulgent sticky toffee pudding to end on. And it’s ended us, too; we’re stuffed…
We’ve written more about the Devonshire’s Sunday roast, alongside some of the other best roasts in Soho, in our roundup here, by the way.
Website: devonshiresoho.co.uk
Address: The Devonshire, 17 Denman St, London W1D 7HW
The Canton Arms, Stockwell
Ideal for Southern European cooking in Southern London…
Though we spoke of the Camberwell Arms as being in the exalted position of London gastropub benchmark setter, the Canton Arms is, arguably, even more influential.
Stockwell’s finest, part of the esteemed group that also runs the Anchor and Hope, the Clarence Tavern and the Magdalen Arms in Oxford, the Canton Arms is our favourite of the quartet, a genuinely ‘old school’ feeling boozer with a dimly lit, dark wood panelled dining room out back serving a sprawling menu of, it seems, whatever they fancy cooking.
There’s no ‘pub grub’ vibes here, but there is a certain sensibility to the cooking, with Provençal and Southern European influences running through the menu. So, that’s Imam Bayildi with a simple green salad, mutton chops with coco beans and anchoïade, and a beautifully golden tranche of skate wing, served with steamed potatoes and a sauce vierge. All three are excellent.
Dishes with a more pronounced Italian accent are a strong suit here, too. On a recent Sunday sharing menu, a roast monkfish done in the saltimbocca style (as in, wrapped in sage and Parma ham) was gloriously salty and tender. Sitting on long braised puy lentils that were close to collapse and wonderfully homogenous as a result, the whole thing was lifted up by dollops of a coarse, pungent salsa verde. This dish was the one.
The pub is also known for its unique selection of house-made liqueurs. From damson gin to vin d’orange, these drinks are a signature feature, with seasonal variations lining the shelves above the bar.
Sunday lunch here isn’t actually massively different to any other lunch or dinner of the week, which is quite refreshing when you don’t want a reheated roast dinner for £30. Instead, if you’re looking for a pub lunch with real zest and intrigue, the Canton Arms is certainly one of London’s best.
Website: cantonarms.com
Address: 177 S Lambeth Rd, London SW8 1XP
The Waterman’s Arms, Barnes
Ideal for porky pub grub taken to dizzy new heights…
Sitting pretty – real pretty – on the banks of the Thames, The Waterman’s Arms in Barnes is one of the latest additions to London’s gastropub scene, but it’s already making big waves along the river.
Originally built in 1853 as part of the Cubitt Town development and formerly known as the Newcastle Arms, this historical venue has seen a new lease of life since its relaunch in September 2023 by Joe Grossmann, the founder of Patty & Bun. It’s not just burgers and fries here, though; under the culinary leadership of Sam Andrews, previously head chef at the aforementioned Camberwell Arms and Soho’s Ducksoup, the gastropub offers a thoughtful blend of traditional pub-aligned dishes and the obligatory, ubiquitous sprinkling of Italian influences.
Not that we’re complaining about the ubiquity, when dishes like pork belly and pickled nectarine or pork collar and pig skin ragu hit the table.
Yep, they love all things porcine here, but that’s not all that’s available and on song. Since we’re by the water, why not start with oysters, here served with a piquant, invigorating fermented chilli dressing. Follow those briny boys with more, erm, briny boys; a simple, summery dish of mussels and tomato () hitting all the right notes for riverside dining. Even if you are inside, in a pub.
Before you turn into a bivalve, move onto the larger meat dishes, built (and priced) for sharing. The Hereford steak with smoked garlic butter is a highlight, with a pronounced crust and wall-to-wall blushing centre. It goes without saying that the pool of smokey, buttery meat juices beneath it needs a round of bread dragged through it. Scarpetta your heart out; the crusty sourdough here is built for such behaviour.
On the holy day, rather than a Sunday Roast with all the trimmings, it’s big sharing plates of meat at the Waterman’s. Friends wax lyrical about the spit roast chicken with onion broth (£44 for two). And like a curly pig’s tail that’s been pulled and has sprung back, we’re going full circle here and ending with the incredible porchetta, that’s been a Sunday lunch staple since day dot. Crisp crackling and a pleasingly pink centre take this one into the stratosphere.
Even if you’re not stuffing your face, the Waterman’s Arms is a lovely place for a pint. Spread over two floors with an outdoor dining space boasting waterfront views, the space downstairs serves a simple bar menu, while upstairs, an a la carte menu featuring seasonal dishes is available. Draught beers come from the award winning Forest Road Brewing Company in Lewisham. There’s also Estrella Galicia, increasingly becoming the tap of choice for London’s best gastropubs.
The restaurant’s wine list offers a diverse selection from around the world, featuring crisp whites like Vinho Verde from Portugal and complex reds such as Barolo ‘Albe’ from Piemonte. With options ranging from affordable to prestigious, there’s a perfect pairing for any dish and palate. A couple of bottles clock in at under £30 – it’s crazy we feel this is noteworthy, but that’s where we are.
Website: watermansarms.co.uk
Address: 375 Lonsdale Rd, London SW13 9PY
The Bull & Last, Hampstead Heath
Ideal for mid-afternoon snacking…
We end, appropriately, at the Bull and Last over on Highgate Road, perched at the southeast corner of Hampstead Heath.
Established as a coaching inn in the 18th century, this cherished gastropub derives its unique name from being the last stop for northbound coaches out of London, where drivers would call out “The Bull – and last” as they approached. The gastropub’s historic charm is ever-present, underscored by a significant two-year refurbishment completed in 2020, which added six beautiful boutique bedrooms, perfect for collapsing into after a feast of North Essex Shorthorn prime rib, gremolata, béarnaise, green salad and properly good chips.
Yes indeed, the food here is of the crowd pleasing variety, both in scope and size, with 8 snacks, 8 starters and 8 mains to choose from, plus sides and the sweet stuff. It’s certainly the kind of place where even the most fickle members of the squad will be satisfied. On Sundays, things are no less interesting, with a broad, generous menu of crowdpleasers – roast lamb, fish and chips, an aubergine parmigiana wellington (?!) for those trying to forget the incoming scaries.
And if you’re dropping in midweek, then the Bull and Last’s ‘mid service’ menu is one of this affluent area of London’s most indulgent and best kept secrets. Available Monday to Friday between 3pm and 5:45pm, the pigs and prunes in blankets are the stuff of legend, sure, but the absurdly stacked roast beef sandwich with truffle mayo (£20) is the true move. Served with pickles, fries and aioli, it’s just the kind of thing you want to wrap your hands around after a walk on the heath. A house Margarita washes things down lustily. A second has you enquiring if they’ve got any space for dinner…
The Bull and Last is regularly featured in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list (currently placed 31st in the country), and is also recognised in the Michelin Guide for good measure. There’s even recently been a beautifully presented cookbook, featuring 70 recipes and local stories, offering a sense of time and place and plenty of context to this historic place.
Website: thebullandlast.co.uk
Address: 168 Highgate Rd, London NW5 1QS
Special mentions to the Compton Arms and its current residency, the brilliant Tiella, The Tamil Prince, and Thai Zaap at The Heron in Paddington… Amazing places, but perhaps not quite the ‘gastropub’ vibe we’re talking about in this particular piece.