Drapers Arms, The

The Drapers Arms at Barnsbury Street has all the makings of a neighbourhood pub, and it now arrives completely repackaged to keep the gastro flag flying high. This Ben Maschler-Nick Gibson venture seeks to draw the Islington crowd into it's clean Georgian interior spread over two floors - the bar area which extends to the garden at the ground level and the first floor dining room.

The daily changing menu is a tribute to the seasons and bounty of the earth, and Head Chef Karl Goward and his team manage to awaken palates with starters of potted pork and pickles, brown crab on toast and globe artichoke with vinaigrette. Main courses of asparagus, duck egg and chives; roast 'saltmarsh' lamb with courgettes, saffron and garlic, and pot-roast guinea-fowl with bacon and lettuce, confirms your admiration for traditional cooking.

With names like Harvey's, Spitfire and Black Sheep staging an appearance on the drinks list, there's no better way to explain the no-frills philosophy at The Drapers Arms.