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Established as a public house in 1826 the Duke of York has been a landmark building in St. Johns Wood ever since. It was a meeting place for local residents who would come in for refreshments and to buy a large range of imported produce. Over the years it has changed with the fashions and demands of the times but has retained its original charm.

The main dining area adjacent to the bar offers a relaxed and convivial atmosphere and serves homemade food right from the bread through to the ice creams. Specialities here include delights such as homemade burgers, beer battered fresh cod and Yorkie fries with mixed leaf and tartare sauce, and Welsh lamb skewers. Also on offer is a traditional Sunday roast and steak and pint nights on Wednesdays.

The comprehensive selection of wines offers something for everyone, from European greats to the exciting discoveries of the New World.

With a rich and interesting history dating back to the 18th century, The Flask is quaint Victorian pub located on Flask Walk in Hampstead, just a short distance from Hampstead Heath. The pub's elegant exteriors retain an old-world charm complete with traditional tiling, while the interior is comprised of two bars separated by a beautiful glazed partition, and walls decorated by panels painted by Jan Van Beers, leading through to a more formal dining room and small conservatory in the rear.

The menu matches the pub's ambience serving classic pub grub with a contemporary twist, made fresh and locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. The main menu includes a hearty sandwiches including steak sandwich with caramelised onion and roasted vegetable, platters to share such as the sausage feast platter or a Mediterranean mezze of peppers, olives, houmous, tzatziki, and taramasalata served with grilled flat bread.  Main courses include beer-battered fish and chips, steak and ale pie with seasonal vegetables and lamb shank with spring onion mash and roasted vegetables. Other dishes include venison casserole with mashed potatoes, and roasted peppers and steaks with vegetables.
 
The Flask offers a wide selection of continental lagers, cask ales and wines from all over the world.

This popular local restaurant set over two floors on the New College Parade is well known for serving up the best Chinese in the local area. Choosing from the menu can take some time, as there is plenty to tempt you. Both old fashioned favourites such as sweet and sour pork and chicken in black bean sauce are splendid, but the accomplished chefs that can be seen from the dining area are also good at producing authentic lesser known dishes, so don't be shy give them a try.

Reviewed by Linda Buttle

Once a wonderful dining experience, something seems to have gone sadly wrong of late, and whilst the place is still stylish the food and service seem to have suffered a deterioration from their former levels.

Carluccio's was started by Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio as a small café and shop stocking Italian food and ingredients in 1991, and grew into a restaurant serving authentic cuisine at sensible prices in 1999. Antonio is an expert on food and has been a wine merchant, restaurant manager and owner, cookery expert on television and author of twelve cookery books. It is therefore not surprising, that today Carluccio's has over fourty-nine outlets across the UK.

Antonio believes Italian cookery involves minimum fuss and maximum flavour. This is exactly what his restaurants try to do by using fresh produce, and working largely with families who make things the traditional way - with care. Their passion also translates into special events like hands-on cookery classes and recipe sharing, Antonio and his team regularly organise for interested guests. They also offer takeaways and a catering service.

The breakfast menu offers croissants and breads served with butter and preserves or honey and free range eggs, either scrambled or fried and served with pancetta or ciabatta. They also have long cured Parma ham and healthier options like muesli and fruits. These are best had with coffee, tea or freshly squeezed juice. Carluccio's offers an impressive list of white, red, rosé and sparkling wines which complement your meal.

The restaurants offer a range of soup and salads which give your meal a nutritious start before moving on to the mains. If you like pasta, enjoy the small filled parcels served in a ham and cream sauce, or sample the Neapolitana spaghetti with whole fresh clams, garlic, herbs and chilli. The branzino con salsa e patate, fillet of pan fried sea bass served with tomato salsa and sautéed potatoes and Somerset rib-eye steak with rosemary potatoes, called bistecca di bue con patate, are good options too. If you are looking for something lighter, you could opt for the numerous sides called contorni and panini.

In the Tuscany region of Italy, meals end simply with almond biscuits dipped in a sweet local wine, Vin Santo and eaten. You can enjoy that experience at Carluccio's, or settle for a more conventional dolci of tiramisu, warm chocolate and kahlua pudding, your choice of Italian cheeses or gelatos in different flavours.

If it's not possible for you to visit Georgia for a taste of the cuisine, then simply visit The Tamada restaurant, an authentic Georgian restaurant that exudes a relaxed and muted elegance. The cuisine is just right for people seeking a new gastronomic experience apart from the traditional Asian and Italian fare. The food is unusual, prepared from fresh ingredients which are high in spices and herbs.

The menu includes a variety of breads, soups and starters. Guests can relish dishes of chaqapuli, a spicy lamb casserole flavoured with wine and plum sauce served with shoti puri bread; soko kecze, baked mushrooms with cheese; and pan-fried trout served with sizzling baby potatoes and dill. The khinkali, is a ubiquitous traditional dish of Georgian dumplings filled with a variety of juicy meats which should not be missed.

The syrupy black Georgian coffee, served with a morsel of layered walnut cake, is a good end to the delectable meal where coffee can be substituted with juices, lush mukuzani wine or the chacha, Georgian grape vodka.