Peaceful 1 Bedroom Apartment in Tuffnell Park

There is a whole lot to enjoy from the daily blackboard menus at this relaxed, understated operation. Both the décor and the cooking have a rustic edge to them, with the latter British-based, seafood-centric and guided by the seasons. Both individual and communal seating are available to enjoy the flavoursome dishes from, as is the kitchen counter, while the attentive team deal well with the buzz of a permanently busy restaurant. Quality sourdough is provided by their sister operation Jolene and while other dishes may come and go, the rum baba to share remains a constant.

It’s easy to understand why Farang is so popular; it’s an immensely likeable restaurant serving generous and heartwarming recipes from all regions of Thailand – and even with overly eager ordering, you finish up with a bill that isn’t too overwhelming. Each dish, be it the salted turmeric prawns or the whole sea bass with raspberry nahm jim, showcases the hallmarks of Thai cuisine: freshness, vibrancy and a lovely balance of the sweet and the sour. The ‘Feasting’ menus are great for groups, and you’ll find it hard to resist buying some of their homemade produce on the way out too.

Hearty British dishes which are big on flavour are the order of the day at this sympathetically refurbished Victorian pub. The ground floor bar has a lively buzz and the more sedate first floor dining room opens later in the week. The terrific mushroom tempura is a prime example of what this kitchen does well: straightforward, moreish dishes that come in generous portions. Lovely bedrooms and a friendly, attentive team complete the picture.

There are a lot of courses on James Knappett's creative surprise menu, but you'll be glad of it once you've tried such superb cooking. You’ll start in the lounge with drinks and accomplished canapés that set the tone for the evening, before being guided to your seat at the beautiful kitchen counter – where you can watch the chefs finish dishes close-up. Outstanding British produce is at the heart of the experience, with the seafood often proving a highlight, whether it's soft and smoky eel or fresh squid enhanced by a creamy lobster sauce.

There's something so appealing about the simplicity of a restaurant like Primeur. A proper neighbourhood operation, it comes with stripped-back décor, a handwritten blackboard menu and a relaxed, bustling atmosphere. Diners can sit around large communal tables or up at the counters around the edges of the room. The cooking, for its part, avoids overcomplication and puts the ingredients first, as evidenced by grilled pork chop with roquefort butter. Ensure you save room for dessert, too, especially if the textbook custard tart is on the menu.

Cooking with fire is all the rage these days and Lita is an expert practitioner, although it also offers so much more. While there’s a strong Mediterranean and southern European element to the menu, prime British ingredients – such as Scottish lobster and Cornish turbot – along with big, bold flavours and well-made sauces really make the dishes sing. Many of the plates are designed for sharing, like dry-aged Devon duck with beetroot and kumquat. This is roll-up-your-sleeves sort of food – the type that leaves you licking your lips and planning your return.

The cooking at Portland respects the principles of sourcing and seasonality; in fact, the menu is often reprinted after lunch as ingredients are used up and replaced by different ones. The kitchen believes in doing as little as possible to the raw ingredients to allow their natural flavours to come through, and dishes are never over-crowded, with every component there to enhance another – like bone marrow sauce used to add depth and richness to a venison Wellington. The pared-down look of the room matches the understated food.