Clerkenwell, British, Traditional Restaurant Guide

“A classic” that “never fails to delight”, this Clerkenwell institution was founded in 1869 as a ‘Progressive Working Class Caterer’, lending it “undeniable history and charm” (although “you either love or hate the austere bench seating”). These days part of Will Lander & Daniel Morgenthau’s smart group, it has an “ever-tempting menu” where “meat is the way to go” (non-carnivores may find it a little “over-chop-or-steaked”), leading to a meal that’s “always an absolute pleasure”. Top Menu Tips – “anything made from Middlewhite pork”; “spectacular confit potato”; “Bloody Mary (I don’t quite know what they do with them but they’re scintillating!)”

“That stalwart of the British revolution in cooking in the 1990s and still going strong” – Trevor Gulliver and Fergus Henderson’s famous Smithfield icon is an “austere white-walled room, close-filled with tables” that can surprise first-timers with its naked “functionalism”. World-renowned in foodie circles for its pioneering ‘nose-to-tail’, offal-rich cuisine, it’s “a restaurant where tripe, kidney and heart all become something sensational” and fans – many of whom have been regulars for decades – affirm it’s “still a stand-out after all these years” (“sometimes you want to eat everything on the menu and sometimes not so much, but you always eat well”). “Superb, genuinely engaging and caring” service and “excellent wines too” all contribute to its “unique and special” formula. And if ratings overall are not quite at their historical peak – with one or two disappointments related – its overall esteem amongst diners remains formidably high (“my favourite restaurant not just in London but bar none for all of its 30 years. It’s the only place where I always have a pudding, a part of the menu you simply mustn’t miss. Here’s to eating there for another 30 years!”). Top Menu Tips – “the Bone marrow starter and then Turbot on the bone are superb”. “Marmalade Bakewell, Rhubarb Trifle, Steamed Sponge – all excellent”; “be sure to go for the Madeleines: they’re made to order”.