Devonshire

Towards the top of Balham High Road and, thankfully, lurking just under the 'rah-rah' radar of the Clapham Common crowd, The Devonshire is now very different to the traditional Victorian tanking-house it was before. A recent £650,000 modern makeover has tiptoed around the original features before giving it a thorough thrashing with the trendy stick. It's all gigantic and grandiose with stucco ceilings above and distressed wooden boards below, etched windows, retro booths, bacchanalian murals, swathes of brown and cream enlivened by chandeliers and lampshades giving it large. Not sure about the champagne bucket display, though. Through the enormous arch lies a snazzy, separate dining area and doors to the impressive beer garden. There's a small wind-sheltered front patio too. Young's ales, now brewed in Bedfordshire, have remained, although they must be a little bemused to be sat next to draught Pimm's. Start with the Bitter then move on to the Special before treating your taste-buds to the bottle-conditioned beauty that is Young's Special London Ale. If the beer brewed using Fairtrade bananas is a step too far, there are also four lagers of which Pilsner Urquell - the original pilsner - is the pick. There's also a good wine list and selection of spirits. Fishcakes, award-wining bangers and burgers makes for bar food while finer diners get to order pork belly and duck breast; if you're kicking off early, how about a black and white pudding tower for breakfast? The punters are fresh-looking young professionals with plenty of white-collar dollar. On our visit a befuddled duo at the bar lamented the trend of absurd band names. 'What was wrong with just being called Prince or Sting?' We recommend lounging in the sun-trap beer garden amid the water features, statues and with the enormous BBQ straining at the leash.

http://www.timeout.com/london/bars/12544.html