Star

There's a culinary slant to this old boozer tucked away in the backstreets just south of Highgate Cemetery. The seasonal produce is all sourced from the likes of Billingsgate Market, Barrett's and Stoke Newington's The Fishery, and menus read a step above the usual gastropub fare.

Dishes range from lobster ravioli and citrus-cured salmon to haunch of venison with roasted butternut squash, braised shallots and juniper jus, wood pigeon with a red onion tarte tatin, and pan-fried hake with a kohlrabi gratin, pot-roasted oxtail nuggets and girolles. A short wine list focuses on the old word. 

It's all served in a suitably rustic room, with exposed brickwork, chesterfield sofas, mismatched furniture and an open fire roaring through the winter months. An al fresco courtyard looks like a plum spot come summertime.