Draft House

Quality over quantity is the watchword at this beer-centric boozer. With associate pubs across the city, the branch in Battersea Rise benefits from its Smoke Poke menu, which includes chicken wings, chili dogs and other brewski-friendly American nosh. The endlessly rotating list of guest ales means you’re unlikely to find a beer lover who can’t find something new to relish each week.

Extremely knowledgeable staff keep the patter relaxed amid an unpretentious décor – album-cover art, old ads, neon signs. The vibe is lad-lite: it’s a good place for low-impact chat, or to watch the rugby without having to resort to pointless pints of Carling. Drinks are served in thirds, two-thirds or straight-up pint measurements, giving affordable access to imports or unusual microbrews. And staff are very liberal with their samples. The playlist sounds like it was put together by Don Henley – but in a good way.