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The Crown is yet another jewel in the Geronimo collection of pubs with style, traditional British food, worthy beers and an excellent wine list. Located only a short distance from Victoria Park it has something for everyone whether you are looking for a place where quiet meals for two are on the agenda, a group booking or just somewhere friendly where a few friends can gather for a few drinks and a yarn.

Lunch and dinner is served seven days a week with Saturday brunches that blow away any vestiges of the previous night's end of the working week feste, and Sunday lunches where that great British custom can be celebrated in a relaxed and timeless manner.

The Crown is a very outdoor sort of place too, with a beautiful roof terrace and beer garden. Two function rooms, the bright and airy Livestock Room and the more intimate Paper Room both have private balconies overlooking the Park and comfortably accommodate 25 people for a seated event. If it's something bigger you have in mind the entire first floor for you and 79 other people standing is yours, with its own private bar.

So really there's not much excuse for looking any further no matter what your requirements. 'Yes', you say, 'but what about the food and drink'. In the immortal words of the late Peter Sellers, "what indeed!" Let's start with with the wine list created by John Clevely, Master of Wine and driving force behind Geronimo pubs. What with warm hearted reds, cool elegant whites and a visit to most of the major wine producing areas in the world, there really is no contest. Nearly every one is available by the glass, and prices only occasionally stray across the £20 barrier, and frankly if you don't feel that £50 is a fair price for a bottle of Pol Roger Brut Reserve should you really be out?

And so to the rations which are perfectly straightforward, with two menus, lunch and dinner, and no messing about. In case you think that lunch in Victoria Park is not an event, let me assure you otherwise. Cured salmon with herb pancakes, shallot and capers make a good opening event, or perhaps a goat's cheese croustade, with leek, onion and pine nuts is more your way?

Time to spare, friends to meet? A sirloin steak with green peppercorn sauce and hand cut chips takes some beating, but a roasted pork fillet with horseradish mash and smoked black pudding is in the same league. The blessed burger is now respectable and there sure enough is a cheese and bacon burger with more hand cut chips. For the maritime-minded a pan fried seabass is served with risotto cake, baby pak choy and sweet chilli sauce.

Dinner is more of the same with additional dishes such as braised ox cheek, swede and cider, crispy salmon with wilted spinach, fondant potato and pea jus, and a chicken liver salad, pancetta and raspberry vinegar.

Desserts change daily and be on the lookout for some decent British cheeses.

Walk into The Crown and chances are you will feel instantly at home which, in the view of many is what a good pub is all about. Their Website will keep you up to date with special events, menu changes, and private hire possibilities.

The East Hill is located in Wandsworth on Alma Road SW18 in the heart of an area known as the Tonsleys. The pub is approximately 200 yards from Wandsworth Town railway station, which serves the main line into central London as well as direct to Twickenham.

Hidden in a residential street and looking more like a modern country residence than a pub, the environment is clean, bright and permeated by elegance, all made comfortable by the presence of big woven carpets, wall benches and old-style leather couches.

The East Hill is a gastropub in every sense of that description; customers have the option of lounging out and enjoying the atmosphere of the bar with a glass of wine or the specially selected beers on offer. A small conference/private dining room is also available, which seats up to fifteen guests, while, shaded from the sun or warmed by heat lamps, the outside patio can be utilized by drinkers and diners alike.

The menu ranges from homemade burgers, seared salmon on warm potato salad to rib eye steaks and broad bean and pea risotto. There is also a great choice of bar bites including a whole baked camembert and homemade scotch eggs. Fish lovers will enjoy Fridays at the East Hill with an extra fishy menu and specials.

While Sundays are the day to relax at the East Hill, why not start with a perfectly mixed Bloody Mary, enjoy a great roast lunch and stick around for the ever popular quiz on Sunday evenings?

Beers and wines are far from disappointing: you could opt for a Tea, San Miguel, Bitburger, Twickenham Scrum Down, Doombar, Aspall on draught, or Tiger, Sol, Konig Ludwig Weiss and Baltica (Russia) in bottles. The real attraction as far as the drinks go, however, is the wine, arranged on a list 30 vineyards long. Whites and reds are grouped according to dryness and flavour, and they have been selected with extreme care and knowledge.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Close to the Odeon Cinema, Chimichanga South Woodford on George Lane offers exciting Mexican cuisine in a vibrant modern setting and is perfect for a delicious meal before or after a movie. Just a 3-minute walk from South Woodford Tube Station, the restaurant delivers authentic Mexican food in the heart of this leafy London suburb on the edge of Epping Forest.

Chimichanga's extensive à la carte caters to a variety of palates. A wide range of delicious appetisers includes crab cakes, Buffalo chicken wings and empanadas, a traditional crispy pastry filled with a choice of chicken or chorizo sausage with cheese and served with sour cream. Other choices include piri piri prawns, Cajun chicken with chilli sauce and jalapeno bullets, a dish of deep fried jalapeno peppers with cream cheese and chilli sauce. Appetisers to share include chicken nachos or taquitos, crispy flour tortilla tubes with a range of fillings including cheese and black beans, chicken, cheese and salsa and chorizo and cheese.

Light bites include a range of tortilla wraps including a classic fajita wrap with a choice of char grilled fajita steak or chicken served with peppers and onions in a tortilla with Jack cheese. Vegetarians are catered for with the delicious courgette and Portobello mushroom wraps which comes with chipotle chilli sauce and jack cheese. There's also a number of tempting salad options such as blackened tuna salad with tuna steak coated in a special blend of Cajun spices, blacked on a hot skillet and served over a bed of mixed leaves with roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

For something more filling diners could opt for a tortilla burger, made from 100 per cent fully traceable prime Scottish beef wrapped in a flour tortilla with mayonnaise and served with changa chips.

The char grill section's succulent offerings include barbecue baby back ribs served with change chips and jalapeno coleslaw; sirloin mojo rojo, a centre cut sirloin steak marinated in chilli, garlic and coriander and served with beer battered onion rings and change chips, Santa Fe chicken with rice, black beans and guacamole or flame grilled piri piri chicken.

Sumptuous Mexican specialities naturally include chimichanga, a flour tortilla fried golden brown with Jack cheese and served with your choice of filling - either chunky beef chilli con carne, BBQ pulled pork or bean chilli - sautéed onions and peppers and garnished with sour cream, chives, guacamole and tortilla croutons, as well as a variety of burritos, enchiladas and tostadas. There are also chipotle meatballs, Mexican paella, chilli de la casa and south-western crab cakes. The grande quesadilla is a baked flour tortilla sandwich with your choice of filling and drizzled with sour cream and served with Mexican rice and chipotle chilli sauce.

The lunch menu offers a choice of two or three courses while a children's menu caters to the tastes of the little ones.
Round off the satisfying meal with scrumptious dessert of giant Mexican profiterole, chocolate fudge brownie or honeycomb smash cheesecake. Alternatively, end with a speciality coffee or liqueur. Chimichanga offers a variety of wines, beers, cocktails, margheritas, sangria and soft drinks to quench the thirst.

More information can be found on their Website.

Having served classic Italian trattoria fare for over 40 years, Taberna Etrusca in the heart of the City, continues to roll out old favourites to its loyal customers. With its unusual location, in the courtyard of St. Mary-Le-Bow church and its welcoming interiors of textured white walls, tiled floors and an open-beamed ceiling, Taberna Etrusca is a haven from the bustle of the city and in fine weather customers can take the opportunity to eat al fresco in the sunny courtyard to the rear of the restaurant. A short walk from Bank and Mansion House Tube Stations, the restaurant is also close to famous London landmarks such as St. Paul's Cathedral, the Barbican Centre and the Guildhall.

The seasonally changing à la carte menu is supplemented by daily specials, and offers starters of poached asparagus with sage butter and Grana Padano, fresh crab and avocado salad with a tomato coulis or finely sliced Parma ham with honeydew melon to begin the meal on an appetizing note. A mixed platter for sharing offers Parma ham, bresaola, salami, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and pickles.

Then continue with main course fare such as tagliatelle in a creamy smoked salmon, asparagus and dill sauce, spaghetti tossed with Scottish beef fillet slices sautéed in garlic, chilli and fresh tomatoes or penne with fresh vine tomatoes, grilled vegetables and goat's cheese.

Meat lovers will relish traditional dishes such as grilled calf's liver and bacon, served with a spring onion potato pureé and red wine reduction, chargrilled 28-day matured Scotch rib-eye, with crisp onions and grilled plum tomato or pan-fried pork fillet medallions topped with Parma ham and taleggio cheese, served with sautéed spinach.

If you prefer fish or seafood, there's choice of spicy tiger prawns with tomato, garlic and chilli served on a bed of rice, grilled scallops with lime, smoked pancetta and rocket and roasted fillet of sea bass with mixed wild mushrooms and oven baked diced potato. Set menus for lunch and dinner are also available.

BBQ set menus offer dishes such as succulent pork ribs with a caramelised BBQ sauce, 28-day matured Scotch beef sirloin steak or prime Cumberland sausages served in a roll with caramelised onion along with potato salad with chopped chives and pine nuts, plum tomato with buffalo mozzarella and basil salad with an extra virgin olive oil dressing or Russian salad and a selection of desserts and fruit.

Bring the meal to a fitting conclusion with tempting desserts of traditional tiramisu with Savoiardi biscuits dipped in espresso coffee and layered with mascarpone, baked lime cheesecake with a rum cream or warm chocolate fondant with coconut ice cream. There's also an assortment of soft and hard Italian cheeses served with biscuits and honey.

A predominantly Italian wine list features an extensive selection from all over the country, including a noteworthy selection of grappa, and a sprinkling of examples from the rest of Europe and the New World.

A well-appointed private dining room is available for up to 40 guests, with set, buffet, canapé and bespoke menus, is perfect for a special occasion or corporate event.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

Founded on one of the most illustrious chains of curry houses in Pakistan, where it has provided excellent food for over 5 decades, the time has now come for expansion and the first Bundu Khan in Britain, only a short distance from the celebrated Spitalfields Market, has turned its attention to a new clientele.
 
This includes eating on the go, relax and dine in, giving high style to an office meeting or hosting a special event. One of the problems of eating really creditable Indian food these days is the difficulty in finding any. Plenty of Indian restaurants but for whatever the reason not that same zing factor that made an Indian night out something to really relish. Bundu Khan has all the trappings of up to the minute quality about it, combined with food that demands respect and comes from fresh sources, then cooked fresh to order. It is a restatement of the faith.
 
Amongst the starters expect to find bihari boti kabab, tender pieces of lamb left top marinate in the traditional Bihari spices, and barbecued on skewers in the tandoor  - always a house speciality at Bundu Khan. This makes a welcome for even the most hardened non vegetarian, and the simpler butterfly jhinga with king prawns marinated in herbs and spices, rolled in breadcrumbs and lightly pan fried, does well for those who like combining the simple with the exotic.
 
Until you dig deeper you may at first feel that some of the names you are seeing, shall we say Rogan josh with its tender grass-fed lamb cubes, has more than a ring of the familiar. That is until the dish appears on your table, the aromas drift towards you and you are suddenly conscious of what you used to know, the excitement of those distinctive flavours converting the raw material of almost any country into something wholesome and appealing.
 
President Johnson may well have said, "it's the economy, stupid". Had he visited Bundu Khan he could well have substituted 'ingredients' for 'economy', and the celebration of time respected recipes joined with carefully selected food and freshness ensures a steady flow of contented customers for whom Bundu Khan means quality. Special care is paid towards the sort of seafood for which coastal areas like Karachi are renowned and a king prawn curry with fresh tomatoes, chopped onions, fragrant herbs and exotic spices draws on an ancient recipe of Bengali fisherfolk.
 
When it comes to matters of drink Bundu Khan takes a view that the customer knows best and a BYO policy operates. Not that this inhibits the non alcoholic cocktail bar, where the craft of the professional bartender is well recognised.
 
In keeping with a new generation of Indian restaurants the décor is uncluttered to the point of minimalism, not a breath of flock wallpaper to be seen and lighting that leaves no corner unlit but is soothing on the overall depth of illumination A spacious banqueting hall seats up to 120, and air conditioning ensures comfort at all times.
 
For anyone who is becoming slightly jaded over their Indian inclination I prescribe a visit to Bundu Khan with a few friends and plenty of time, where the opportunity to rebuild that well remembered craving can be coaxed back under admirable conditions. Consult their Website at any time for up to date information and news of their now-building Members Zone.

Named after the legendary actor Charlie Chaplin, Charlie's Ristorante Italiano on North End Road in Barnet is a comfortable neighbourhood Italian with a warm welcoming ambience that makes it perfect for a quick business lunch or enjoyable family dinner. Relax in its pleasant modern interiors - red, white and black décor, tiled floor and marble topped bar - enhanced by the numerous pictures, photographs and assorted Chaplin paraphernalia on the walls. Located right opposite Golders Green underground station, the restaurant is conveniently close to areas such as Hampstead Village, Swiss Cottage, St. John's Wood and Camden Town.

Charlie's offers a varied Italian menu with dishes made from fresh seasonal ingredients either imported from Italy or procured from local suppliers. As with the rest of the freshly prepared food, the pizza dough is made fresh every day and the pasta sauces are traditionally Italian. Starters of funghi ripeni, baked stuffed mushrooms in tomato, cheese and cream sauce, Parma ham with melon or polpette Napoli, prime minced seasoned beef meatballs cooked in a rich garlic and tomato sauce whet the appetite. Then take your pick from a variety of pizza toppings including prosciutto, topped with tomato, mozzarella and ham, Napoli, with tomato, mozzarella, olive, capers and anchovies, Americana, with tomato, mozzarella, sausage, peppers and chilli or cinque stagioni, with tomato, mozzarella, ham, mushrooms, olives, artichokes and sausage. There's also calzone, a traditional folded pizza filled with mozzarella, ham and mushrooms.

Choices of pasta include spaghetti Bolognese, linguine with squid, prawns, mussels and clams, penne arrabiatta and tagliatelle with chicken strips and mushrooms. Oven baked dishes feature cannelloni filled with ricotta cheese and spinach and topped with tomato and cheese sauce as well as melanzane alla Parmigiana, sliced aubergines in tomato sauce topped with cheese. Charlie's also offers a range of meat dishes include grilled lamb cutlets with rosemary sauce, chicken or veal Milanese with spaghetti Napoli and sirloin steak with mushrooms, onions and red wine sauce. The fish and seafood selection embraces grilled sword fish steak topped with a light lemon and virgin oil dressing, king prawns in a garlic, wine and chilli sauce and grilled salmon fillet with chopped tomatoes, herbs and lemon dressing. There's also a children's menu for under-10s offers pizza topped with cheese, tomato and sausage, penne with butter or tomato sauce and chicken nuggets with chips.

A carefully selected wine list includes house white and red starting at £11.95 per bottle and £3 per glass, while a bottle of Prosecco, the classic Italian sparkling wine can be had for under £20. The drinks list also includes birra beer, hot drinks and special coffees such as Irish and calypso as well as the expected selection of soft drinks. The restaurant can also cater for any occasion whether it's a birthday, wedding anniversary or office celebration with a variety of fixed priced party menus.

More information, including full menus, is available on their Website .

The Osteria Spiga is a welcome addition to West Hampstead's vibrant restaurant scene. Located on Broadhurst Gardens, just a stone's throw from West Hampstead Tube Station and a short walk from the O2 Centre, this Italian restaurant offers a range of specialities for the discerning diner in a smart contemporary setting.

The Osteria's à la carte begins with small bites of wild mushrooms tossed with garlic and herbs and meat balls with scarmoza cheese in a rich tomato sauce, followed by starters of fried goat's cheese with roasted mixed peppers, spinach and aged balsamic sauce; and smoked salmon with cucumber and fennel salad, mascarpone and chives. A wood-platter of Italian cured meats and cold cuts with artichokes, sundried tomatoes and grilled smoked mozzarella is a more substantial affair.
 
The pasta selection offers linguine with half lobster meat, cherry tomatoes and chilli, enhanced with brandy, homemade ravioli filled with roast veal and tossed in butter and sage and pappardelle with cherry tomatoes and aubergine enriched with mozzarella.
 
For the main course, you could select roasted chicken breast in a mushroom and cream sauce, served with mashed potato; pan-fried calf's liver with sultanas and toasted pine kernels in Marsala wine sauce garnished with sautéed fresh spinach or Grissini crusted rack of lamb, garlic and rosemary sauce with potato gratin. A set menu is also available for lunch and dinner.
 
After a long walk on Hampstead Heath, just a short drive from Osteria Spiga, why not reward yourself with delicious desserts of vanilla pannacotta with mango coulis, chocolate torte with fresh strawberries or crème brûlée with Irish cream and forest fruits which will satisfy even the sweetest tooth. There's also a selection of ice creams and sorbets as well as a cheeseboard with Italian and English cheeses.
 
The Italian dominated wine list offers a variety of flavourful whites and fruity reds from regions such as Umbria, Abruzzo and Toscana as well as sprinkling of wines from France and Australia.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

The Butcher and Grill in Battersea really is something a bit different. Imagine a bang slap up to date butcher's shop, doing the business as any such shop would, combined with a pretty informal restaurant where the shop produce forms the basis of the menu, and as an added attraction a casual bar serving coffee, breakfast and patisserie for the morning crowd, and soups, salads, pies and sandwiches throughout the day - and you have The Butcher and Grill.

The site formerly held a Café Rouge, and is spacious, terraced and with river views. Customers at the Grill can choose their preferred cut either from the counter or make a selection from the menus. Nor is the menu blind to other attractions, so expect to find starters of Cornish salt and chilli squid, rocket and lemon; devilled kidneys on toast or Cornish crab cakes, pickled cucumber and crab mayonnaise, always an excellent prelude to a decent steak. There's even a charcuterie board with pâté and pickle.

To the main event, and humble beginnings, with the B & G Burger. At the other end of the scale is the 35oz rib of beef, admittedly for two, though you don?t expect someone wishing to break diet in a singularly spectacular manner would be denied. An 18oz t-bone sounds to be a particularly good compromise. A range of sausages, including the celebrated chop, together with lamb burger, pie and mash, and free range chicken breast, all add to the temptation.

Now that evidence is becoming convincing that veal can be produced with no adverse effects, it is to be seen increasingly on discerning menus. Escalope makes an excellent meal, as does the crispy crumbed pork belly with cabbage and bacon, pickled apple and lavender. There is even line caught fish from day boats in Cornwall; check the specials board.

Apart from the chips, in the view of many an essential adjunct to a good steak, there is a range of side dishes, ten in number that include roast onion squash and fennel seeds; green beans, shallots and garlic butter, or wilted spinach.

Nor have puddings been neglected, with warm treacle tart, strawberry and lavender pavlova, baked rice pudding and their selection of cheeses and chutneys.

At the Butcher Shop meat and poultry is prepared to a very high standard in various cuts. Beef, lamb, pork, sausages, veal, poultry and game are available alongside home-cooked meats, pies and pâtés as well as a small selection of oils, mustards and pickles.

The concept of shop and restaurant together is still a major step for good old traditional Britain, but all over the place the unthinkable seems to be happening, so why not our shopping and eating habits?

Check on their excellent and user-friendly Website for further information, not to say inspiration. Bon appetit!

Just a short walk from Tower Bridge and the numerous attractions of the South Bank,  The Leather Exchange in Bermondsey exudes old fashioned charm with its beautiful period exterior and traditional interior décor complete with chandeliers and classic wallpaper.

Located on Leathermarket Street, The Leather Exchange is a stone’s throw from Guy’s Hospital and a short walk from Borough Market and London Bridge Tube Station. Spread over two floors, the Exchange Bar occupies the ground floor and offers a superb range of beers, wines and spirits as well as classic pub lunches, while the Leather Uppers restaurant on the first floor is a more intimate, formal dining space complete with an open fire and stunning city views.

The refined experience carries over to the à la carte with its assortment of impeccably crafted modern British and international dishes. Dinner can begin with deep fried oysters with onion marmalade and fennel sauce, pig’s head terrine with beetroot and orange sauce or vegetarian stack of aubergine, courgette and fresh tomato sauce. Follow with pan fried monkfish medallions served on a bed of mashed potato and fish sauce,  spaghetti with shitake mushroom, goat’s cheese and sundried tomato dressing or corn fed chicken breast with aubergine purée, sprig onions, sun blush tomatoes, veal jus and confit garlic.

As well as the aforementioned pub lunch, served daily at the bar, a takeaway lunch menu allows you to enjoy a meal in the comfort of your home or office or even outdoors in summer. On Monday and Tuesday evenings take advantage of a very affordable two-course meal for £12. If it’s Tuesday, then quiz nights are an added attraction.

On Sundays enjoy a traditional treat with family and friends at The Leather Exchange. Roasts, carved at your table, are served with homemade gravy, duck fat roasted potatoes; honey glazed roasted carrots and parsnips, green beans, cauliflower cheese and Yorkshire pudding.

Finish with banana Yorkshire pudding with strawberry jam and crème fraiche or white chocolate mousse in lemon meringue with strawberries.

Alongside the carefully selected international wine list, cask ales and bottled beers the Leather Exchange also offers a range of original and classic cocktails including an Espresso Martini, Bramble and Caipirinha to refresh the palate.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website .