Bars & Pubs

If your guests want to see a 'real old English pub', bring them here. The Flask's 18th-century wood-panelled interior, with its fireplaces, bottle-glass windows and labyrinth of snug rooms, is bound to enchant; then you can tell them that Dick Turpin is said to have hidden in the cellar. This is no museum piece, though: it's a favourite with all quiet after-work types, families, and gaggles of local youth some weekends. The big front yard is Highgate's top outdoor eating spot, where space is often at a premium. The food is sturdy grub (great steak sandwiches) with a few gastro touches; the fine drinks list runs to good ales (Adnams, London Pride), Czech lagers and wines.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9